The 2026 NBA trade deadline is nearly here, and the New Orleans Pelicans have a ton of decisions to make when it comes to who should stay and who should go. With the Pelicans having a 12-36 record and being last in the Western Conference, many have suggested that selling is the best option.
However, if that is the direction the front office is taking, they must ensure they retain Saddiq Bey past the deadline.
When Bey was acquired during the 2025 offseason as part of the Jordan Poole–CJ McCollum swap, he was widely viewed as a throw-in. He was coming off an ACL injury that he suffered during the latter half of the 2023-24 season and hadn't checked into an actual game in over a year. So it's safe to say his production this season has exceeded all expectations.
Bey is posting averages of 15.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from three. He's also had 13 20-point-plus games this season and is averaging 26.7 points over the last three games.
This type of production on a rebuilding team typically warrants a trade, but that would be a massive mistake, and one the Pelicans would quickly regret.
Production you can’t easily replace
The NBA trade world is a crazy place these days. Recently, Trae Young, a four-time All-Star, was traded for expiring contracts and no draft picks. This should be a warning sign to the Pelicans that holding onto Bey is better than the couple of second-round picks they likely get in return for him.
The mistake a ton of front offices make during a rebuilding season is trading everyone and everything to accumulate all these late-round picks that often don't amount to anything. Yes, you don't have to tell me that getting a first-round pick should be one of the team's top priorities. But I also doubt that trading Bey will yield a valuable enough pick to replace his production.
This season, Bey has single-handedly won New Orleans games, whether that be hitting a clutch three or going nuclear in the fourth quarter. Like he did Friday against Memphis, where he scored 19 points in the fourth quarter.
It's very hard to find players who give you the type of production Bey does at his price point. Having him under contract for the next two seasons at $6.33 million per year is a steal and puts him in a tier of the best contracts in the NBA.
If the Pelicans are serious about building something sustainable, Saddiq Bey should be viewed as part of the solution, not a disposable asset. Rebuilding isn't just about piling up draft picks—it's about finding players who fit and can grow with their young talent.