The New Orleans Pelicans can extend Saddiq Bey starting on Saturday.
Saturday will mark the date that the New Orleans Pelicans can give Saddiq Bey a contract extension, and they shouldn't wait much longer than that to actually give it to him.
Bey was acquired as a bit of "throw-in" to the Jordan Poole trade that the Pelicans made with the Washington Wizards last season. No one expected him to be just as good or as impactful as he actually was for New Orleans.
The now veteran had missed all of the 2024/2025 season due to an ACL tear that he suffered at the end of the previous campaign. Even before that injury he was a solid bench wing, but that was about it.
Due to a mixture of injuries around him and needed players to take charge on offense, Bey ended up with a career year for the Pelicans. He posted 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 45.1/36.7/84.1 shooting splits. He was the second-best shooter on the team, which was certainly not expected before the season.
New Orleans was +2.5 points better overall per 100 possessions with Bey on the court. He does the things that not many players on the roster do and was, by all accounts, a fantastic teammate. It makes all the sense in the world that they would award his efforts with an extension.
At 27 years old, he's someone who can be signed to a four-year deal and still be a perfect fit with whichever timeline the Pelicans end up going with. If they decide to rebuild around Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen anytime soon, Bey could either stick around on the roster and will hold enough value to be flipped for more assets later.
Bey actually started in 64 of his 72 games last year, which certainly wasn't the plan heading into the season. He ended up being a perfect complement to what James Borrego wanted to accomplish. He had a season-high of 42 with five games of 30 or more.
As the roster currently sits, Bey will probably end up starting once again. It'll depend on how well he fits with what Jamahl Mosley wants to do, but there aren't many teams that Bey would not fit on.
Looking around at similar contracts, a fair offer for the wing would probably sit around $16-$19 million. John Collins, a 28-year-old forward, signed a three-year, $51 million deal at $17 million each season. That would be a very understandable framework for Bey's contract. Aaron Nesmith signed a two-year deal worth $40.39 million, which would be on the higher end.
