The terms of one of the most controversial trades in New Orleans Pelicans history were finalized on Sunday at the NBA Draft Lottery . A year after the Pelicans traded away their unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks, we found out that it will be the No. 8 pick in the draft. This makes the final terms of the trade as follows: Pelicans receive: Derik Queen (the 13th-overall pick in 2025) Hawks receive: Asa Newell (the 23rd-overall pick in 2025), the No. 8 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft Regardless of what you think about Derik Queen as a prospect, that is undoubtedly a pretty penny to pay to climb up ten spots in the draft. While there will be a tendency to re-evaluate the trade after the Hawks make their pick, that should be beside the point. It doesn't matter whether Atlanta ends up drafting Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., or Brayden Burries. The Pelicans' process needs to be evaluated rather than the outcome. Needless to say, the Pelicans' process here was absolutely terrible.…