2025 NBA Draft: Pelicans' Costly Blunder — Nets, Suns Regret

Teams are already regretting several 2025 draft choices less than a season in. The New Orleans trade that gave up No. 23 plus an unprotected 2026 first for Derik Queen stands out as the clearest blunder, leaving the Pelicans without a safety net in a down year. Other missteps include Brooklyn loading up on guards (and possibly passing on rim protector Ryan Kalkbrenner), Phoenix taking Khaman Maluach while safer frontcourt options waited, and Washington landing Tre Johnson at No. 6 while Jeremiah Fears—picked one slot later—looks like a star in the making. Merlin sees a pattern: teams chose upside or urgency over prudent asset management, and the cost is already showing. Some gambles can pay off over time, but the Pelicans’ unprotected pick is a wound that may sting for years. Nets and Suns can still course-correct; Utah’s Ace Bailey vs. Kon Knueppel is a reminder that a single spot can change narratives.