all grades are here 👇

sheedinatl.substack.com/p/2025-nba-d...

my main questions with Queen:

- can he be a functional player on a team that’s not built to cater to his specific skillset?
- if he struggles anchoring the defense, does he produce enough offensive value to justify keeping him on the floor?
- can he become a more efficient passer long term?

Queen is not very quick laterally, so his defensive transition may be hampered by stuggles defending the better spaced, larger NBA courts

he lacks the size and body balance to stand up to bigger guys in the post. Per Synergy, Queen is just 47th percentile in post-up defense efficiency

.. some his best moments blocking shots on defense are indeed closer to what i would see in a wing defender prospect as he's good protecting the basket from the weak side

..his box DBPM stats are dragged down by the fact that Queen has a below average 3.8% BLK rate, which is more of a good wing defender level metric, rather than of a defensive anchor at the center position...

defense is a two edged sword for Queen. He grades out as a pretty good defender in terms of advanced metrics measuring overall defensive impact: 3.7 DBPM, which is good for 22nd among all underclassmen last season, and 3.02 DBPM (second on his team behind Julian Reese) and 2.27 in box DBPM...

...Queen is a more of a finesse offensive rebounder who uses his spatial awareness and anticipation to get himself in positions to tip the ball in