The New Orleans Pelicans are in an interesting place as they gear up for the 2026-27 season. After winning 26 games last season, the Pelicans front office opted to make minimal changes and run back a similar roster but with a new head coach at the helm. This has led many fans to speculate that if this team underperforms again this season by the deadline, they’ll be looking to enter a fire sale and start a full-scale rebuild. If so, the franchise's most recent move has taken one player off the list of potential trade candidates.
In a recent episode of the Third Apron Podcast, Jake Madison, host of LockedonPelicans, joined Yossi Gozlan to talk about the Pelicans' offseason. The two discussed the three-year, $55 million contract extension Saddiq Bey recently signed, and Gozlan shared that Bey has a six-month trade restriction.
This means that even if the Pelicans want to sell at the deadline, Bey can no longer be part of that. Instead, the focus would likely be on Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and potentially Dejounte Murray.
Being forced to keep Bey could be for the best
Now, assuming the Pelicans become a colossal failure by the deadline again this season, Bey will join Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears as the other untouchables on this team. To some, not having the option to sell high on Bey, especially if he posts numbers similar to his 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 36.7 percent from three, is a problem. But keeping him around may actually be for the best.
Since arriving in New Orleans, Bey has quickly embraced the city and organization, which unfortunately hasn’t been common throughout the Pelicans’ franchise history.
Keeping him around could hold real value. One of the biggest mistakes front offices make in the modern NBA is rebuilding teams by putting out a roster of only young players and not having the veteran leadership needed to help establish a culture. Bey, who’s been praised for his professionalism on and off the court, could add real value as the franchise pivots toward a youth movement. On top of that, with the NBA’s new anti-tanking rules not rewarding teams for bottoming out and finishing at the bottom of the conference, keeping Bey could help them avoid that.
If Bey can keep his three-point production around the mark it was at last season, he would be a perfect fit next to Queen and Fears long term. His floor spacing and ability to play the two through four make him a versatile piece that Jamahl Mosley could shuffle around the lineup and rotation.
So while, in theory, the Pelicans could be one asset short at the deadline because Bey is prohibited from being traded, it may be a blessing in disguise. Bey may be exactly the type of player New Orleans needs if they are forced to make a direction change.
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