Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey wanted “insane” money

One of the biggest surprises of the season came when the Detroit Pistons traded Saddiq Bey in a deal that landed James Wiseman.

Just last season it seemed as if Bey was part of the future plans, but Detroit decided to go in a different direction. We’ll have to wait and see if this was ultimately a good deal for the Pistons, as Wiseman is still under contract for at least one more season and we’ve yet to see him play with a full complement of teammates.

For his part, Bey has been playing his role well in Atlanta, doing more with less and taking most of his shots from beyond the 3-point line, pretty much exactly what Detroit said they couldn’t get him to do.

Whether this was stubbornness from Bey or a failure of the coaching staff, the fit didn’t seem to be there in Detroit, but that wasn’t the only reason the Pistons decided to move on from Bey.

Detroit Pistons: Saddiq Bey’s next contract

Saddiq Bey will be eligible for a rookie extension this summer and the Detroit Pistons apparently had no desire to be the one to pay for it according to one ESPN insider.

According to Jonathan Givony, Bey wanted what he called “insane” money in his next deal, which he talked about during a lengthy discussion on the Pistons on the Lowe Post Podcast.

Givony said he heard rumblings that Bey was looking for a similar deal to his now-teammate De’Andre Hunter, who was the 4th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Hunter’s extension kicks in next season and will range from $20 to 24 million per year through the 2026-27 season.

If Bey had had the big breakout year that many expected this season, he might have put himself into a similar tier, as this is the going rate for starting 3-and-D wings in the NBA.

But Bey was missing the “D” part of the equation, was inconsistent offensively and wasn’t knocking down 3-point shots at as high a rate as his rookie season. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with him in restricted free agency, as the Hawks already have a lot of money tied up in forwards John Collins and De’Andre Hunter.

I wish Bey well and hope he gets his bag, but if he is going to be making $20 million a season, I’m glad it’s not on the Detroit Pistons’ payroll.