Four-Year Forward Inks New Deal with Wizards After Torn ACL

It has been reported that forward Saddiq Bey has signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Washington Wizards. The former Villanova Wildcat was due for a breakout year with the Hawks. After he was traded from the Detroit Pistons at the 2023 NBA trade deadline in a multi-team trade. However, in a matchup with the Pelicans in early March, Bey fell to the floor late in the fourth quarter. During the post-game, he underwent an MRI and it was confirmed that Bey had torn his ACL. This was a huge blow for the Hawks as they fought for a spot in the Play-In Tournament. Bey up until that point had started 51 out of the 63 games for the Hawks and was contributing 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds. 

Bey has shown incredible potential showcasing his elite three-point shooting throughout his career so far. While on the Detroit Pistons, Bey scored a career-high 51 points including an astonishing 10 three-pointers. If the Wizards get this version of him, they may have an essential piece to their lineup for years to come. On top of his scoring, Bey is highly regarded as an elite defender. This makes him the perfect second or third option for a team looking for a “3&D” type of player. 

In college, Bey was a star for Villanova gathering interest from NBA scouts almost immediately due to his rare skill set. In his second season in college, he was awarded the Julius Erving Award which is given to the best small forward in the nation. This list includes plenty of NBA stars, he was also the third Villanova player to win the award in the last 10 years joining Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Bey now with the Wizards will look to show why he was worthy of the 19th overall pick back in 2020. While he may not be ready for the beginning of the season, he will be a huge piece in the 2025 playoff push for the Wizards.