Is the Pelicans cursed? 13th pick Quinn undergoes wrist surgery, expected to be out for at least 12 weeks: previously matched up against Yang Hansheng.

On July 19, Beijing time, the Pelicans officially announced that this year's 13th pick, Derek Quinn, underwent surgery for a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Quinn was matched up against Yang Hansheng during a game against the Trail Blazers, where he got injured, and a few days later, he had surgery in Los Angeles. According to the Pelicans, he is expected to be reassessed in about 12 weeks. The team's training camp is scheduled to commence in approximately 10 and a half weeks.

Quinn was selected by the Pelicans as the 13th pick last month. To acquire this draft pick for the Maryland big man, the Pelicans traded this year's 23rd pick and an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 (the more favorable one from either New Orleans or Milwaukee) to the Hawks. Quinn had an impressive freshman season at the University of Maryland, averaging 30.4 minutes, 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks over 36 games, helping Maryland achieve a 27-9 record and reach the Sweet Sixteen.

This month, Quinn averaged 14.0 points in three Summer League games for the Pelicans, leading all players in Las Vegas Summer League in both rebounds (11.0 per game) and turnovers (5.7 per game).

Torn ligaments in the wrist are not uncommon injuries among NBA players, with Thunder forward Jalen Williams being one of the most recent players to undergo surgery for this injury. The timeline given by the Pelicans for Quinn's next evaluation is not surprising, as such injuries typically require several months for recovery— for instance, Hornets forward Brandon Miller underwent surgery for a torn ligament in his wrist on January 23 and was declared out for the season.

Nevertheless, this is a disappointing setback for both the New Orleans Pelicans and Quinn. Quinn will miss the start of training camp, and there is significant uncertainty about whether he will return in time for the regular season.

In recent years, the Pelicans seem to have fallen under the curse of injuries; in addition to the often-injured Zion, Brandon Ingram, who has left the team, also frequently struggled to stay on the court. Quinn is one of several key players on the Pelicans currently recovering from major surgeries. Dejounte Murray has just returned from an Achilles tear, while Herbert Jones and Trey Murphy underwent surgery for labral tears/rotator cuff repairs in the second half of the 2024-25 season.