The Detroit Pistons got big contributions this season from rookie Saddiq Bey.
Bey never really looked like a rookie, as he didn’t make many mistakes, played tough defense and shot the ball with confidence.
Bey was selected 19th in the 2020 NBA Draft and will likely end up on the first-team All-Rookie squad, so it is safe to say that he was one of the steals of the draft.
It’s easy to draft in hindsight and some players take more than one season to show what they can do, but there are certainly some teams in NBA that wish they had taken Bey now that they have a season of evidence.
Bey was not only one of the best rookie 3-point shooters of all time, but played smothering defense on the perimeter, so he would have been a big help to teams that lacked in those two areas.
Here are four teams who passed on Saddiq Bey in the NBA Draft and probably wish they had that pick back.
Detroit Pistons: The San Antonio Spurs wish they had Saddiq Bey
The Spurs drafted Devin Vassell who had a decent season for a rookie and did get some playing time, but if the Spurs had it to do again, they might go for Saddiq Bey.
The Spurs finished 24th in 3-point shooting and 17th in defense, so they definitely could have used someone with Bey’s skill set and Bey just kind of seems like a Spur, doesn’t he?
I mean that as a compliment, as the Spurs are known for drafting smart players who can play defense, so Bey would fit right in. I think Gregg Popovich would absolutely love his attitude, hustle and toughness and the Spurs probably wish they had taken Bey over Vassell.
Detroit Pistons: The New Orleans Pelicans would love to have Saddiq Bey
If there is one team that could have used defense and 3-point shooting it is the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pels went from one of the best 3-point shooting teams to one of the worst in just one season, dropping to 26th in the NBA and their defense stayed terrible, especially on the perimeter.
I was actually shocked when the Pelicans didn’t take Bey, as he was EXACTLY what they needed to put around Zion Williamson, as his shooting creates space and his defense can somewhat cover for the fact that Zion and Brandon Ingram don’t play any.
Instead, the Pelicans took Kira Lewis Jr., a 190 lb. backup point guard who showed some flashes but didn’t play big minutes or make much of an impact on either end.
The Pelicans underperformed this season partly because they got very little out of their last offseason, including the 2020 Draft where they absolutely should have taken Saddiq Bey.
Their loss was the Detroit Pistons’ gain.
Pistons draft picks: The Dallas Mavericks could use Saddiq Bey
The Mavericks ended up clawing their way into the 5th seed after a slow start, largely due to the brilliance of Luka Doncic.
They took Josh Green just ahead of Saddiq Bey in the 2020 NBA Draft and they probably wish they had that pick to do over, as Bey is just a much better version of what they were hoping Green would be.
Green barely played for the Mavs, who finished 18th in 3-point shooting and 21st in defense. They definitely could have used Bey’s shooting to open up more space for Doncic, as well as his toughness on the perimeter.
Green may end up being good but Bey could have helped Dallas a lot this season.
Detroit Pistons: The Boston Celtics would like a do over on Saddiq Bey
The Boston Celtics were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA this season, finishing 7th in the Eastern Conference, which earned them the prize of getting to play the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
The Celtics were middle of the pack in both 3-point shooting and defense and could have used an injection of both at various times in the season.
They drafted Aaron Nesmith, who was supposed to provide that shooting but he played sparingly and wasn’t able to defend well enough to show his shooting.
He did end up shooting 37 percent from long range, but only logged 14.5 minutes per game on average and didn’t play at all in 26 games this season.
Bey is basically what they were hoping Nesmith would be, which is a plus sized wing who can knock down 3-point shots and defend multiple spots. Nesmith may end up being good, but Bey is already there now and could have helped the Celtics who went through a couple of rough patches when they had no depth.
Saddiq Bey was one of the best rookies this season and the Detroit Pistons are lucky he fell to them in the 2020 NBA Draft.