The 2026 offseason will be Joe Dumars' second offseason leading the charge for the New Orleans Pelicans, and one of the biggest decisions he has to make is whether or not to extend forward Saddiq Bey.
When he was acquired as part of the Jordan Poole-for-CJ McCollum swap, everyone viewed him as a throw-in piece, considering he spent the entire previous season rehabbing an ACL injury. Shortly after arriving in the Big Easy, fans learned that Bey was way more than just some throwaway piece, as he quickly turned out to be the crown jewel of the deal. Coming off a career year, Bey is eligible for a 4-year, $93 million extension and has made it clear he would love to stay in New Orleans.
Luckily for Bey and Pelicans fans, it appears that Dumars is a massive fan of his. The Pelicans' President of Basketball Operations highlighted professionalism, work ethic, dedication, and mentality as qualities they want all their players to draw inspiration from.
"If you were to ask me what I want in a player, just look at (Saddiq Bey)."Joe Dumars
This statement from Dumars is simple and short, yet it says a lot.
Saddiq Bey must remain a Pelican
Dumars didn't hit many things on the head during his end-of-season press conference, but one thing he hit a bullseye on was his evaluation of Bey. The 27-year-old played in 72 games this season, averaging 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, while shooting 36.7 percent from three.
Those numbers are pretty darn good for a 'throw-in.'
Something Dumars highlighted about Bey was that his approach never changed, and it was very clear to fans whenever they tuned in and 41 was on the court. Whether the team was up 10, down 20, or in a one-possession game in the fourth,h his approach never changed. His mentality and focus were elite, and he played to compete every single night. According to Dumars, if they had asked him to play through injury at the end of the season, he would've.
Obviously, at this point, there are mixed perspectives on the next steps in the Pelicans' path back to competing out West. Some (myself included) lean into a rebuild centered on Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears—others want to see this group run it back at full strength this season. Whether Dumars was being serious about bringing Zion Williamson back next season and giving him another go or not, the direction shouldn’t stop Bey from being in New Orleans for the foreseeable future.
Bey's desire to remain in New Orleans, his professionalism, skill set, and mentality are all things that, no matter where this team is at the end of the offseason, would bring value. For Pelicans fans, the Dumars tenure hasn't been off to the strongest start, but seeing him give Saddiq Bey a long-term extension this summer could be a step in the right direction.
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