Hawks' Saddiq Bey reportedly tears ACL, restricted free agent done for season
Atlanta Hawks forward Saddiq Bey tore his ACL and is done for the rest of this season (and much longer) just as he is heading into free agency, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and since confirmed by other Hawks sources. An MRI confirmed the diagnosis.
Not that there is a good time to tear an ACL, but this couldn't be much worse for Bey as he is heading into restricted free agency for his next contract this summer. Whatever team signs him will know they won't have Bey for part of next season, and it may be the 2025-26 season before he is fully back to being himself.
The injury occurred early in the fourth quarter Sunday as the Hawks took on the Pelicans. Bey was trying to get to the rim and collided with the Pelicans' Trey Murphy. As Bey planted his foot, things twisted and quickly got ugly. Bey was in tremendous pain but stayed in the game to shoot his free throws (he hit both). The Hawks then fouled him to get him out of the game, and Bey limped back to the locker room.
Bey joined the Hawks from Detroit a year ago at the trade deadline and this season has averaged 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, shooting 41.6% overall and 31.6% from 3. He has started 51 games for the Hawks this season and has been solid, he was in line for a raise from the $4.5 million he was making this season. The Hawks have his Bird rights and may be his ultimate landing spot this summer.
Atlanta's forward rotation is hobbling. De'Andre Hunter is on a minutes restriction as he returns from a knee issue, Jalen Johnson is out with a sprained ankle, and now Bey is out. That leaves Vit Krejici and just-acquired Dylan Windler as the guys getting the most run.
Atlanta, 29-35, sits 10th in the West and is trying to hold off Brooklyn for the final play-in slot in the East. The Hawks are 3.5 games up on the Nets (four in the loss column) with 18 games to play.
