New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) shoots past Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
New Orleans Pelicans guard Saddiq Bey (41) shoots past Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The New Orleans Pelicans are hoping to turn their fortunes around this season after a two consecutive seasons of not making the playoffs, and to do so they’re going to need consistent depth on the roster. The Pelicans made a move to shore up that depth this week in agreeing to a contract extension with veteran wing Saddiq Bey, as per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Saddiq Bey’s new contract extension is for $55.5 million and will ensure that the veteran wing is in a Pelicans jersey for the next three years. The team acquired Bey last offseason in the Jordan Poole trade that sent CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards.
The six-year veteran is coming off a career year, a remarkable comeback after missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season due to an ACL injury. He appeared in 72 games for the Pelicans, including 64 starts, at a little over 31 minutes per game. He averaged a career-best 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists with splits of 45.1 percent shooting from the field, 36.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 84.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Bey’s shooting percentages both from the field and the 3-point line are the second-highest marks of his career. The No. 19 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Bey began his career with the Detroit Pistons, finishing fourth in the 2020-21 Rookie of the Year voting.
He played two and half season for the Pistons before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He sustained the ACL injury during his first full season with the Hawks, and signed with the Wizards in the 2024 offseason amid his rehab. The Wizards traded him to the Pelicans without ever appearing in a single game for the team.