The Pelicans made a bold commitment to extend Saddiq Bey this offseason after one year in New Orleans. Joe Dumars and the front office inked Bey to a 3-year, $55.5 million deal that will see him under contract through the 2029-30 season. At the team's media day, Bey was asked about the extension and what it meant to stay with the Pelicans long term, and he couldn't have given a better answer.
"If they would have offered me a 12-year contract, I would have taken it,” Bey said.
Obviously, the max length of an NBA deal is five years, so a 12-year deal wouldn’t even have been on the table. However, hearing Bey speak that highly of both the city and organization is a breath of fresh air for a team that has struggled to keep players around in the past.
One of the biggest questions about Bey has been whether he can replicate his impressive 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 36.7 percent from three next season. For Bey, the contract was a reflection of the impact he had last season, and if he can’t repeat, the contract may not age well. But after the comments he made at media day, a small step back from him would be so much easier to stomach because he is so committed to this team.
Bey to stay in the Bayou
Bey had an unbelievable year last season, and the Pelicans front office's willingness to bet on him coming off an ACL tear last offseason has clearly helped build a strong bond. The fan base has been talking about who the real long-term pieces are for this team. Sure, if things go right and the Pels are playoff-team guys, Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray probably still remain core pieces. But if they don’t and they are struggling by the deadline, they likely aren’t.
For a bit, it was hard to decide what boat Bey fell into, the same as Zion and the other vets or the young players like Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. While we do know Bey can’t be traded this season because of his extension, it does feel like he is really locked in no matter the direction this team goes in because of his connection to the organization.
We rarely see players be as committed to New Orleans as Bey has become after one season in the Big Easy, and that really means something. On top of having the skill set of a well-rounded forward that fits around both paths the front office could take this roster in, being committed to the team is the cherry on top.
If there was still any uncertainty among fans about Bey’s long-term outlook with this team even after his extension, media day made it even clearer that Bey views New Orleans as a long-term home.
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