How Saddiq Bey's injury may impact the Atlanta Hawks' offseason plans
The injury to Atlanta Hawks forward, Saddiq Bey, could not have come at a worse time for him and the franchise.
The Atlanta Hawks certainly have an interesting offseason coming up. They did not make any significant moves during the season, with the trade deadline passing without a murmur from the Hawks front office. However, if you add that the season has been a disaster thanks to the Hawks' continued injury crisis, they need a major adjustment.
The Hawks are going in the right direction at the end of the current season. They are developing some of their younger players in an effort to see what they may have to work with for next season. They are also showcasing the talents of De'Andre Hunter, potentially in an effort to move him on in the offseason.
In fact, up until the injury to Saddiq Bey which saw him undergo knee surgery, the offseason may have looked totally different. The thing is, the Hawks do not need to tear down their roster completely, they need to tweak and adjust and find the right combinations to surround Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The thing is, Bey is actually a crucial element in this.
The Atlanta Hawks should definitely re-sign Saddiq Bey.
The Hawks have Bey's Bird rights as well as being able to lock him up on a deal long-term as a restricted free agent. Teams are not going to want to pursue Bey in the offseason due to the unknown of how and when he will return from injury. This should enable the Hawks to sign him on a team-friendly deal.
While this may appear heartless, this is the nature of professional sport. The Hawks are showing faith and commitment to an injured player. In return, Bey is getting a contract and a guaranteed payday, albeit smaller than he would like, while he is rehabilitating his knee.
If Bey were healthy, the Hawks would have had to throw more money at the forward. This would have completely changed what moves the franchise makes this offseason given that less money will be spent on the wing position. There is a chance that the Hawks send Hunter out for picks and a replacement, cheaper wing.
The Hawks may choose to move Bogdan Bogdanovic back into the starting lineup while Bey is out with injury. This then means that the Hawks can put a quality player on the bench for less money than Hunter. This is their opportunity to structure their bench to be more in-tune with what the starters need.
Rather than moving one big salary on for a diminishing return like they did with Kevin Huerter and John Collins, they can be more selective with their moves. It is unfortunate for Bey that he got so badly injured, however, it could be a situation that the Hawks can make the most of.
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