Okay, so get this: Saddiq Bey just locked down a massive three-year, $55.5 million contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans. This isn’t just a big payday, man, this deal is fully guaranteed and even rocks a trade kicker, keeping him with the team through the 2029-30 season. It’s an incredible move, especially when you remember where he was not that long ago.
The Comeback Is Real, Folks
This extension is a huge milestone, a massive signal that Bey’s comeback from a torn ACL is complete. Remember that devastating injury? It completely wiped out his entire 2024-25 season when he was playing for the Atlanta Hawks. To go from that kind of career-threatening blow, then eventually landing with the Pelicans and literally rebuilding his career from the ground up, to now this huge contract? That’s the kind of story you live for. He didn’t just come back, he came back arguably playing his best NBA season yet. The dude, who’s still only 27 years old, absolutely balled out last season. He showed up in 72 games, starting 64 of those, and dropped a career-high 17.7 points per game. Add in 5.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists, and you’re talking about a player who absolutely redefined his role and impact.
Dropping Bombs and Dominating the Court
His production wasn’t just good, it got even more insane after the All-Star break. After that midpoint, Bey was averaging 20 points per game! Not only that, but he was straight up lighting it up from deep, connecting on a ridiculous 40% of his three-point attempts. That kind of consistent scoring from outside, paired with his ability to attack inside, instantly gave New Orleans another dependable, explosive scoring threat. We’ve seen some of his individual nights, too. He absolutely went off for 42 points against the Utah Jazz on February 26th, one of the biggest scoring nights of his whole career! And that wasn’t a fluke. Just a month before, on January 23rd, he put up 36 points against the Memphis Grizzlies. Eight days later, he was back at it with a 34-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers. His ability to score from the perimeter while still getting buckets attacking the rim helped him post career highs in two-point field goals and free throws. This guy, originally a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft for the Detroit Pistons, has proven his worth over 364 career games, averaging 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.
What’s Next for Bey and the Pelicans
So, after battling back from a brutal knee injury and dropping the best scoring season of his career, Saddiq Bey has cemented his long-term future in New Orleans. The Pelicans kick off their preseason against Oklahoma City on October 6th, and then the regular season starts at home against Indiana on October 21st. All eyes will be on Bey to see if he can continue this incredible momentum and keep building on what he’s already shown us. What a ride!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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