6 Playoff teams that could steal Saddiq Bey away from Hawks in free agency

The Atlanta Hawks have several players who played critical roles last season potentially hitting free agency this summer. They have a team option for Garrison Mathews, while the five others are all restricted free agents.

One player could be particularly tricky to hold on to, though, especially if previous interest in him resumes this offseason.

That player is Saddiq Bey, whom the Hawks acquired in a three-team trade last offseason.

ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks expects the Hawks to tender Bey at $8.4 million in restricted free agency. And HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto speculated that his season-ending knee injury could work in the Hawks’ favor when/if he hits the market.

Even then, that won’t prevent teams from signing the former Detroit Piston to an offer sheet this summer. Bey ranked 24th in HoopsHype’s free agent big board.

He could prove an appealing target for these playoff or future hopefuls.

1) Saddiq Bey could help supercharge Cavaliers offense

The Cleveland Cavaliers attempted the eighth-most three-pointers this past season. But they were just 15th in efficiency and, perhaps surprisingly given their frontcourt, they ranked 17th in rebounding.

Specifically, it was their offensive rebounding (22nd) bringing down their defensive crashing (11th).

Bey can help with all of those issues.

The 6-foot-7 forward averaged a career-best 2.7 offensive rebounds last season, tied for 10th-most among players with at least 60 appearances last season. And while he shot just 31.6% from deep this season, he did have some strong stretches.

Bey also shot 40% from deep last season after the trade, albeit in an extremely small sample size for the 35.2% career shooter from outside.

Cleveland could break up their star guards this summer, potentially creating a void on offense.

Armed with the $12.8 million non-taxpayers mid-level exception – a theme of this list – the Cavs could make things uncomfortable for the Hawks if the latter is unable to clear room elsewhere on the salary cap.

Their five-game series loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round showed the Cavs are still light on scoring.

2) Magic could use Saddiq Bey’s shooting and rebounding too

Orlando shares Cleveland’s struggles on the glass, compounding the issue with a lack of three-point shooting in terms of volume and efficiency. Naturally, those issues were compounded in the postseason.

The Magic ranked 24th in efficiency from beyond the arc and 29th in attempts. They also ranked 25th on the glass, though their issue was mainly on the defensive boards.

Bey’s 5.7 threes per game would have led the Magic this past season.

His career-high 6.5 rebounds would have ranked third on their roster, behind only big men Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter. Adding Bey would also buy the Magic some more time to let their young team mature before making any all-in moves.

Bey’s health will be a focal point of every discussion about him this offseason. But the Magic have shown a willingness to work with players through significant injuries.

They too can offer the non-taxpayers MLE, putting pressure on the Hawks.

Coming off a breakout season as a group that saw them capture the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, a low-risk move like offering Bey could both bolster their own cause while hurting a rival in the Hawks. 

At the very least, they can force the Hawks’ hand. That can be considered a win-win proposition for any front office.

3) Sacramento Kings could target another Hawks floor-spacer

The Sacramento Kings were not a playoff team this season. But they were in the Play-In Tournament and are familiar, completing a trade sending Kevin Huerter to California for a first-round pick and a pair of veterans. This time, they could try to cut out the middleman.

Bey would fit into Sacramento’s pace-and-space scheme, especially if he regains his form from three-point land.

The Kings put up the third-most threes per game in 2023-24. 

They ranked 16th shooting 36.6% from that range. They also ranked 15th or better in defensive, offensive, or total rebounding. But they failed to make the playoffs one season after snapping a 16-year drought.

Huerter was also in the trade rumor mill ahead of the deadline, potentially creating more of a need for the Kings than meets the eye initially.

And Bey has an encouraging track record in the postseason, though it is just five games.

He averaged just 7.5 points in the Hawks’ 2022-23 series against the Boston Celtics. Bey is also a strong free throw shooter, connecting on 84.2% of his tries in his career and 83.7% with the Hawks last season.

The Kings ranked 30th in free throw percentage. The Cavs (22nd) and Magic (27th) were also in the bottom third of the league at the charity stripe.

Would Sacramento commit to using its NTMLE on Bey?

4) OKC Thunder could get more hustle and muscle with Saddiq Bey

The Oklahoma City Thunder led the league in three-point efficiency this season. They are also still alive in the postseason, trailing the Dallas Mavericks 3-2 in their second-round series. But the Thunder were a middling team in terms of three-point volume.

They also have Kenrich Williams, affectionately called “Kenny Hustle” for his playing style. 

Bey had the 11th-highest percentage of his team’s defensive rebounds among players with 60 appearances and 30-plus minutes per.

Pairing the two of them in lineups is a perfect match in theory. OKC general manager Sam Presti has drafted well and is loaded with draft capital. But the Thunder – like the Magic – will have the cap space to sign Bey outright if they wish.

How far the Thunder go this postseason could determine how willing Presti is to spend.

There are few veteran stars available in free agency. Avoiding a bidding war on them could preserve cap space for the homegrown talent.

The Thunder also have a need on the glass, ranking 29th in offensive rebounding, bringing their overall mark down to 27th. Bey could also see a resurgence of his shooting stroke under renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland.

That could make the Thunder as appealing as any other potential landing spot this summer.

5) Saddiq Bey could bolster Indiana Pacers’ standing as offensive juggernaut

The Indiana Pacers boasted the highest-scoring offense in the NBA this past season. They are also still alive in the postseason and would enter the offseason with a need for perimeter defense, which Bey would not help.

They were also ninth in three-point efficiency, shooting 37.4% from deep last season. 

However, the Pacers ranked a modest 15th in three-point attempts last season. And it could make sense to lean into their strength as an offensive group that build out a defense.

Bey is strong enough to hold his own in the paint. But he lacks the lateral quickness to stay with perimeter players of all types which can lead to silly fouls. The Pacers have center Myles Turner as a backline defender, perhaps alleviating some of those concerns.

Pacers head coach also got a close look at Bey over his first season-plus in the captain’s chair.

Carlisle has bemoaned the Pacers’ lack of defense. That could drop Bey in the Pacers’ internal free agent rankings. And his restricted free agent status could also turn them away.

The Pacers could also lose forward Pascal Siakam in free agency, where he figures to make more money than if he signs a contract extension. They do own his Bird Rights, though, so perhaps they aren’t as worried.

In that case, Bey could still serve as insurance.

6) Los Angeles Clippers could use Saddiq Bey to take pressure off Kawhi Leonard

The Los Angeles Clippers are the only team on this list – aside from the Hawks – that would lurch into the luxury tax for 2024-25 by using the full NTMLE on a player such as Bey. 

The Clippers are also arguably the only team whose owner might not care about that.

Bey’s playing style is diametrically opposed to that of Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. But that may not be as important as keeping Kawhi Leonard healthy for the postseason after he had another truncated due to injury this year.

The Clippers have made the playoffs in four of Leonard’s five seasons playing for his hometown team. He has been unable to finish each of the last three.

There is a significant caveat here.

Both Paul George and James Harden would have to leave the Clippers in free agency this offseason. In that scenario, it is unclear if Bey is the type of target the Clipper would look to retool with.

But his durability – Bey played in at least 70 games in each of his first three seasons – could prove invaluable as the Clippers navigate Leonard’s balky knee for the duration of his tenure.

The Clippers have also lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two years. 

That could motivate them to figure out a solution lest they risk upsetting Leonard, whom they’ve catered to since his arrival. Bey could be a part of that plan too, pitched as a safety valve and replacement when Leonard needs a break or a night off.