Saddiq Bey didn’t leave much room for interpretation at Pelicans media day.
Asked about his new deal and what staying in New Orleans means, Bey made his feelings plain: “If they would have offered me a 12-year contract, I would have taken it,” he said.
That line landed because the Pelicans had already made their own statement this offseason, locking Bey in on a 3-year, $55.5 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2029-30 season. It was a significant commitment from Joe Dumars and the front office after just one year in New Orleans, and Bey’s response matched it.
The number attached to the deal matters, but so does the tone around it. For a franchise that has had its share of trouble keeping players around, hearing a new arrival speak that openly about the city and the organization feels like something worth noticing.
Bey’s future with the Pelicans is also tied to what he did on the floor last season. He put together an impressive year, averaging 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 36.7 percent from three.
The question now is whether he can bring that same production back next season. If he does, the extension looks like a strong bet.
If he takes a step back, the deal will naturally draw more scrutiny.
Even so, Bey’s comments at media day give the Pelicans some breathing room. A slight dip in production is easier to live with when a player is this invested in the team’s direction.
His bond with the organization appears to have grown quickly. New Orleans took a chance on him last offseason coming off an ACL tear, and that faith seems to have mattered.
Now he looks like more than just a name on a contract. He looks settled.
That matters for a Pelicans roster that still has to sort out its long-term shape. If things go well and the team becomes a playoff group, Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray likely remain central pieces. If the season goes the other way and the team is struggling by the deadline, that picture could change.
For a while, it was difficult to place Bey in that bigger conversation. He could have been grouped with Zion and the veteran core, or with younger players like Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. But one thing is clear now: because of the extension, he can’t be traded this season, and his connection to the franchise makes him feel tied to New Orleans no matter how the roster evolves.
That kind of loyalty is not something the Pelicans see every day, especially after only one season in the Big Easy. And beyond the fit on the court - a versatile forward who can work with either version of this roster - that commitment is what stands out most.
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Jaron Pierre Jr. was part of that look for New Orleans, coming off the bench and turning in a modest showing in limited minutes. For a Pelicans team trying to identify who can help beyond the established rotation, these early exhibitions matter less for the final score than for the competition they reveal, and this one offered a first pass at a depth battle that could carry real weight later on. [Read more 🡒]