The Pelicans may have just gotten a pretty clear read on where Saddiq Bey’s extension talks are headed.
On Sunday, former New Orleans forward Naji Marshall agreed to a three-year, $52.2 million extension with the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. For a Pelicans team facing Bey’s October 23 extension deadline, that deal gives the front office a fresh comparison point.
Marshall entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and spent four seasons in New Orleans before leaving for Dallas in the 2024 offseason. Like Bey, he’s the kind of versatile wing who can handle the ball, score, defend at the point of attack and help on the glass. He also just posted the best numbers of his career, finishing last season at 15.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Bey’s production last season was even stronger on the box score, with 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. That’s why the Marshall extension feels relevant here: both players came off career years and bring a similar all-around profile, which makes Marshall’s $17.7 million annual salary a natural starting point for Bey’s camp.
There is one major wrinkle, though. Bey has been the more reliable three-point shooter.
Marshall hit 29.1 percent from deep on 2.9 attempts per game last season, while Bey connected on 36.7 percent on 5.7 attempts per game. Marshall may have the edge as a playmaker, but that gap doesn’t appear large enough to erase Bey’s advantage from outside.
That’s why Bey could have a case for something closer to $20 million per year. And if that’s the number he lands on, the Pelicans will have a tough decision to make.
Bey absolutely played like someone who earned a payday. He was New Orleans’ steadiest offensive option last season, worked hard on the boards, defended, and handled himself like a pro.
But the roster math is the problem. The Pelicans already have Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III on deals worth more than $20 million annually, and a third wing in that range starts to look like a luxury they don’t need.
Jones has regressed since signing his extension, but the argument still stands that players who can approximate Bey’s offense are easier to find than elite defensive wings like Jones. With Jamahl Mosley now in place as a defensive-minded head coach, Jones could also be in line for a big bounce-back.
For New Orleans, the larger issue is that its delay in sorting out Bey’s extension has left it boxed in. Marshall’s new deal in Dallas effectively helps establish the market. If the Pelicans want to keep Bey long term, they may have to go above $17 million a year - and that’s a tricky place to be for a player coming off what looks like an outlier season.
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Draymond Green Trade Scenario Could Change Everything For The Warriors
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For New Orleans fans, the interesting part is where that speculation points. Trey Murphy has emerged as the name attached to the possible return target, and his fit as a long-range, versatile wing would obviously hold appeal for a team trying to retool around its stars. The catch is that Greens value around the league may not be enough to cleanly send him where he wants to go, which is why any deal could need extra help from another team or even a buyout to make the path workable. [Read more 🡒]