Atlanta acquired Asa Newell's draft rights and a 2026 first-round selection with the more favorable of Milwaukee's and New Orleans's positions during the 2025 NBA draft. New Orleans received the rights to Derik Queen. The pick later became associated with No. 8 Kingston Flemings in 2026. The inherited Hawks Win gives Atlanta A- and the Pelicans B.
The Hawks dealt draft rights to Derik Queen to New Orleans in June 2025 and received the rights to Asa Newell plus a future first-round choice tied to Milwaukee and New Orleans. Atlanta accepted a wider package instead of retaining a single big prospect. The Pelicans preferred Queen as their immediate draft target, concentrating value in a center-forward they wanted to develop. Both clubs were trading draft options rather than established NBA starters.
Newell offered the Hawks an athletic frontcourt prospect, providing a different possible fit from Queen's physical interior game. His playing trajectory was not settled by draft night, and a prospect's potential shouldn't be written as established multi-season NBA production. Atlanta was acquiring the chance to work with him and a separate future first-round asset. The value of that extra selection remained sensitive to the standings and draft protections.
The conditional first gave Atlanta the more favorable selection of the Milwaukee and New Orleans positions under the recorded terms. The inherited transaction ledger later associates the asset with the 2026 No. 8 choice and Kingston Flemings. That draft identity is important, but subsequent rights transfers should be checked before assigning future player achievements to the Hawks. The first-round position itself offered meaningful leverage in later roster planning.
New Orleans obtained rights to Queen because it valued his offensive touch and frontcourt potential enough to surrender both a current prospect and a future first. That was a substantial price for one developmental player. The inherited B for the Pelicans recognizes the prospect value, while Atlanta's A- reflects receiving Newell and another high draft opportunity. The result depends on multiple players' development, but the greater package already gave Atlanta additional flexibility.
Hawks Win. Atlanta earns A- for Asa Newell's rights and the 2026 first-round asset later connected to No. 8 Kingston Flemings. New Orleans receives B for Derik Queen's rights and his potential as an interior contributor. The Hawks obtained both a prospect and a valuable future draft option, while the Pelicans concentrated their investment in Queen.