Getty Trevelin Queen #9 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses at 76ers Training Complex on September 26, 2022 in Camden, New Jersey.
While many of the more established NBA players can coast through the preseason, there are several players with plenty to prove. This is especially the case with the Philadelphia 76ers as their roster currently holds 17 players and they must cut down to 15 ahead of the regular season. One player on the cusp who may be feeling the pressure is Trevelin Queen. The former undrafted free agent has had a hard path to the NBA and earned every opportunity he has gotten. When speaking with Ky Carlin of SixersWire, Queen pointed to the advice of veteran P.J. Tucker for helping guide him through the process of (hopefully) becoming a full-time NBA player:
Just as far as he got to the league and (Tucker’s) journey. I kinda fit into that. It took a while to get to where he wanted to go and I look at him as a dawg mentality. He’s the same PJ Tucker every time he comes in here. He plays hard the whole game so, hopefully, I can look at that as the way I can fit in. Just play hard all the time,” per Ky Carlin of SixersWire.
Queen’s Journey to the NBA
Attempting to crack the 15-man roster is far from the most difficult challenge that Queen has faced in his life. After having no college offers at the end of his high school career, the scrappy guard got his first opportunity at a community college and even was homeless for a period of time. He also spent time at New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to another community college and eventually earning an opportunity at New Mexico State.
The 6’6″ guard impressed greatly during his time with the Aggies and averaged 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals in his final season. Queen went undrafted in the 2020 draft but was given an opportunity with the Houston Rockets G-League affiliate. Last season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Queen earned G-League MVP honors. He also led the team to a G-League Title over the Sixers’ affiliate Delaware Blue Coats.
6’6, athletic, and not afraid to attempt 10+ threes in a game. Trevelin Queen’s the exact player Sixer fans have been asking for for years.
Really hope he gets an opportunity here.
Queen’s Future with the Sixers
Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, he may be the odd man out on the Sixers roster crunch. During free agency, he was handed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million. However, if Queen is cut prior to the season only $330,000 of this deal is guaranteed. While Paul Reed and Charles Bassey hold smaller cap hits, Reed has almost certainly earned a spot on the roster and there will be two players that need to be moved on from.
The best case scenario for Queen would certainly be a consolidation trade in which the Sixers send out multiple players for a singular rotation piece. This could open up a roster spot and allow him the opportunity. He certainly will be looking to motivate the Sixers to make this type of maneuver with his play in the preseason.
Regardless of how things shake out, Queen has been proven too tough for this to be the end of his journey. If he does not stick with the Sixers this almost certainly will not be his last NBA opportunity. However it shakes out, give Queen credit for soaking up as much knowledge as he can and count on him to leave it all out on the court.