The New Orleans Pelicans exercised rookie and veteran contract options on center Yves Missi alongside 2025 first-round selections Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, locking in the young core’s cost-controlled salaries ahead of the regular-season opener against the Indiana Pacers.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Yves Missi: Projected as the opening-night starting center, Missi commands heavy early-season center-depth attention in fantasy leagues following a rookie campaign featuring 19 double-doubles.
- Jeremiah Fears: Entering the rotation as the likely sixth man behind Dejounte Murray, Fears offers high-usage scoring upside after hitting double figures 59 times as an All-Rookie second-team selection.
- Derik Queen: Despite potential bench positioning to start the year, Queen’s playmaking gravity as a rookie makes him an elite stash for rebounds and assists.
Securing the Rookie Class Core
The front-office decisions finalized team options on the 2027/28 contracts for the trio, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported. Jeremiah Fears carries an $8.27MM figure, Derik Queen is set at $5.67MM, and Yves Missi is locked in at $5.6MM. These moves arrive during Joe Dumars’ first season serving as executive vice president of basketball operations, establishing immediate continuity for a roster reshaping under new leadership.
Missi enters his third professional campaign after arriving 21st overall out of Baylor in the 2024 NBA Draft. Having logged 139 career appearances with 81 starts, the center holds averages of 7.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 23.4 minutes per game. Missi managed a slight sophomore dip, posting 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 66 contests, yet his defensive ceiling keeps him central to the rotation.
| Player | Draft Position | 2025/26 Key Stats | 2027/28 Option Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Fears | No. 7 (2025) | 14.3 PPG, 3.4 APG, 33% 3PT | $8.27MM |
| Derik Queen | No. 13 (2025) | 11.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 3.7 APG | $5.67MM |
| Yves Missi | No. 21 (2024) | 7.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG (Career) | $5.6MM |
Franchise Invests Heavily in 2025 Draft Class
The financial commitment to Fears and Queen shows the franchise's heavy investment in the 2025 draft class. Fears, selected seventh overall out of Oklahoma, played in all 82 games as a rookie with 49 starts, earning NBA All-Rookie second-team honors while shooting 33 percent from three-point range.
Queen arrived via a notable draft-night trade in 2025 where the organization surrendered an unprotected 2026 selection to climb to the 13th spot for the Maryland standout. The gamble yielded immediate production as Queen joined Fears on the All-Rookie second team, recording 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while registering two triple-doubles—the only rookie with more than one.
Concurrently, the front office declined the 2027/28 team option on AJ Johnson at $5.49MM, making the guard an unrestricted free agent following the season. Johnson arrived in New Orleans last month via a four-player deal after being drafted 23rd overall in 2024, having split time across Washington and Dallas.
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