2025-26 Season
DERIK QUEEN
2025-26 Season
DERIK QUEEN
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 16 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 93 Centers with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
A turbulent evolution from a blue-collar bench enforcer into an erratic offensive hub defined Derik Queen's opening twenty games. Early on, he thrived by doing the dirty work, a dynamic perfectly captured on 10/22 vs MEM. He scored a meager 3 points that night, yet still posted a +1.5 impact score because his gritty interior defense and relentless loose-ball pursuit salvaged his floor time. As his offensive usage increased, his desire to hunt his own shot occasionally hurt the team. During the 11/08 vs SAS contest, Queen tallied a solid 13 points but registered a dismal -4.1 impact. A high volume of forced interior looks and poor shot selection completely undercut his value in that matchup, serving as a hidden cost to his scoring bump. Fortunately, he eventually found his rhythm as a starter, erupting for 30 points on 11/19 vs DEN where his elite interior finishing and defensive anchoring drove a massive +19.0 impact score.
This twenty-game stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, oscillating wildly between historic offensive dominance and frustrating self-sabotage. Queen reached his absolute ceiling on 12/08 vs SAS, erupting for 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to post a staggering +14.0 impact score. That massive leap in playmaking completely shattered his previous limits. Yet, he frequently undermined his own value, exactly like he did on 01/04 vs MIA. Despite putting up 13 points and finding a better offensive rhythm, he posted a brutal -9.4 impact score because hidden costs like poorly timed turnovers dragged down his overall effectiveness. Conversely, he occasionally found ways to tilt the floor without scoring much at all, as seen on 01/07 vs ATL. He managed just 6 points in that contest, yet still recorded a +6.0 impact. Relentless hustle and elite interior defense drove that highly positive shift, making him a winning player even when his touch completely abandoned him.
A jarring demotion to the bench and wild swings in nightly effectiveness defined this turbulent stretch for Derik Queen. When his shot abandoned him, he occasionally found ways to salvage his minutes through sheer grit. On 01/27 vs OKC, a phenomenal defensive anchor performance generated a +6.3 impact despite him scoring just 9 points on inefficient interior looks. Conversely, his scoring totals often masked severe fundamental lapses. During the 02/11 vs MIA matchup, Queen managed 12 points but posted a dismal -6.8 impact because opposing bigs easily exploited his defensive porousness. Yet, just before losing his starting job in late February, he delivered an absolute masterclass on 02/20 vs MIL. He racked up 18 points and 9 rebounds, earning a massive +10.1 impact by combining superb rim-running with active hands in the passing lanes.
A chaotic pendulum swing between brilliant high-post playmaking and maddeningly empty shifts defined Derik Queen's late-season stretch. He was a wildly volatile asset off the bench before finally moving into the starting lineup. Look at Apr 07 vs UTA for a perfect example of his hidden flaws. He stuffed the box score with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, yet posted a dismal -8.1 impact score because a rash of illegal screens completely tanked his overall value. Conversely, he barely looked at the basket on Mar 21 vs CLE, scoring just 9 points, but generated a massive +10.3 impact. Operating as a brilliant offensive hub, he picked apart the zone with pinpoint passing while anchoring the floor with exceptional defensive metrics (+10.0 def). He finally merged his raw production with winning habits on Apr 10 vs BOS. Bullying his way to 25 points and 11 rebounds, Queen posted a +9.6 impact driven by dominant two-way execution and flawless defensive positioning.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. Queen's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~7 points per game.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 52% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Queen consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Small downward trend. First-half impact: +1.8, second-half: -0.0. Not alarming yet, but trending the wrong direction.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 76 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
81 games played
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