Wizards, Saddiq Bey Agree To Three-Year Contract

Bey, 25, is 6-foot-7 and has spent the past season-and-a-half with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in 63 games in 2023-24, shooting 41.6% from the field and 31.6% on 3-pointers.

His season came to an early end, though, when he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee on March 11. 

The No. 19 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of Villanova, Bey began his career with the Detroit Pistons before being traded to the Hawks in February 2023. While not a great shooter, he’s a determined defender and is willing to mix it up underneath.

But the Wizards will undoubtedly have to wait a little bit for his debut, given that it can take up to a year to recover from ACL surgery.

Washington has now added Bey and center Jonas Valanciunas from the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency, as well as made a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that returned veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon. They also hired interim coach Brian Keefe to the full-time position and selected French forward/center Alex Sarr with the No. 2 overall pick. Along with that, they selected ex-Pittsburgh guard Carlton Carrington at No. 14 overall and former Miami (Fla.) shooting guard Kyshawn George at No. 24.

Washington hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021 and hasn’t hit 50 wins in any one season since 1979 — the organization’s last appearance in the NBA Finals. The Wizards haven’t won a playoff series since 2017.

“Bey is one of nine players with at least 650 career made 3-pointers through his first four NBA seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information,” Wojnarowski wrote. “He has ranked in the top 10 of made corner 3’s in the past four years, per Second Spectrum tracking.”