New Orleans Pelicans guard/forward Saddiq Bey (41) shoots over Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) for two points during the second half of the basketball game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Sunday, April 5, 2026. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD
Saadiq Bey was one of the bright spots in what was a dismal season for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2025-’26.
Now the Pelicans have reached a deal to extend one of their most consistent players.
Bey and the Pelicans have agreed on a 3-year, $55.5 million deal, a source confirmed to The Times-Picayune on Thursday evening. Shams Charania of ESPN reported the agreement first.
The deal also includes a trade kicker, meaning Bey can receive a bonus of his remaining salary if the Pelicans trade him. The bonus, which can be up to 15% of his salary, would be paid by the Pelicans.
Bey came to New Orleans in July of 2025 as part of the trade that sent CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole. At the time, many considered Bey to just be a throw-in piece in the trade. Afterall, he had missed the entire 2024-’25 season with a torn ACL from the year before when playing with the Atlanta Hawks. But Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars didn’t see it that way. Dumars considered Bey an important piece in the trade.
Bey delivered, averaging 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in his first season in New Orleans. He was the team’s third leading scorer behind Trey Murphy (21.5) and Zion Williamson (21.0). It was a refreshing comeback from the injury that sidelined him the season before.
“I always believe in myself,” Bey said in an interview during the season. “I didn’t know what the product was going to look like. I was just hoping and praying that I was able to get back in enough of a rhythm to show everyone what I can do. But I still have a ways to go.”
Bey started 64 of the 72 games he played for the Pels. He scored a season-high 42 points against the Utah Jazz.
He poured in a career-high 51 points in 2022 when playing with the Detroit Pistons.
Bey was drafted by the Pistons in 2020. Troy Weaver, the Pelicans’ senior vice president of operations, was general manager of the Pistons at the time.
Bey and the Pelicans open training camp Sept. 29. The season opener is Oct. 21 against the Indiana Pacers at Smoothie King Center.