The New Orleans Pelicans made a move Thursday evening that definitely caught some fans off guard by signing wing Saddiq Bey to a three-year, $55 million contract extension. This doesn’t come as a shocker because Bey didn’t have a good season in 2026-27 bad. But rather because of how uncertain the rest of the Pelicans' future feels heading into the 2026-27 season.
Bey signing this deal has made one thing very clear about how fans can expect Jamahl Mosley’s rotations to look next season. With Bey locked in as a member of this core for the long term, he is clearly in line to be this team's primary source of bench scoring and play that sixth-man role.
With Jamahl Mosley having a packed bench to sort through and figure out roles, Bey securing a long-term extension should definitely help ease one decision.
Bey appears to be locked in as the sixth-man
When a player gets an extension like that, it's a clear vote of confidence from the organization that he’ll have a crucial role, and the one that makes the most sense is him leading that second unit. Bey had the ball in his hands a ton last season, and it’s a big reason he posted the incredible numbers he did. Last season, Bey averaged 17.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, while shooting 36.7 percent from three through 72 games. His career numbers are strong, and if the Pelicans want that production again, locking him in as the first player off the bench is key.
Between Trey Murphy III, Dejounte Murray, and Zion Williamson, New Orleans’ starting five has shot creation and scoring covered, which is why starting Herb Jones in that other wing spot as a defensive specialist makes so much sense.
Starting Bey would force him to be a different player than the one the Pelicans just extended him to be. If they want that high-level isolation scoring, hard drives, and catch-and-shoot three-point production, putting him with Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears off the bench is the right call.
Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean he won’t be closing out games or be sharing the court with starters, but he fits that mold as the perfect player to plug in for whatever starter is struggling. If it’s Murray, you go big with Z at the point. If it’s Murphy III or Jones, he slots in and plays their role. If it’s Zion, he comes in to provide more spacing. If it’s Yves Missi, you go small at the five with Zion and have Bey play the other frontcourt spot.
Obviously, unless the Pelicans have something else cooking up trade-wise involving one of their other wings in Murphy III or Jones, the starting spot could open up for him. But for now, that isn’t the case, and while there's been plenty of talk about the second unit's pecking order, Bey’s extension is a clear sign the Pelicans see him as their sixth starter.
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