Fansided

Ranking the 8 best players who didn't sign rookie extensions 

Only 14 of the 27 eligible players signed rookie scale extensions. Of the 13 that didn’t, these are the eight best, all of whom will now be restricted free agents this summer.

By N.B. Lindberg

Philadelphia 76ers v New York Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers v New York Knicks / Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
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3. Saddiq Bey, Atlanta Hawks

Saddiq Bey is the type of young 3-and-D wing teams will do crazy things to obtain. For some reason, the Detroit Pistons were willing to pay James Wiseman and Marvin Bagley III $24.6 million this season instead of keeping Bey and extending him, but the Pistons’ loss is the Atlanta Hawks’ gain. 

In 26 games for the Hawks, Bey was absolutely lethal shooting the ball, converting 40 percent of his 3s and 55.2 percent of his 2. While it’s unlikely he’ll continue to shoot so far above his previously established levels, it wasn’t like he was a bad shooter before, and playing next to Trae Young does have some perks. 

Bey’s potential isn’t as high as Patrick Williams’, but he has shown more in his career to trust that he’s a high-level starting player. The Hawks and Bey not agreeing to a deal is likely a function of a looming salary crunch that needs to be sorted before they can commit to a long-term deal. 

However, if Bey hits restricted free agency, he’ll have plenty of suitors. This is a good 3-and-D wing at the beginning of his prime. Every team with cap space will be interested in his services. With a full offseason to implement Quin Snyder’s schemes and Trae Young pulling the strings, Bey is poised for a big season, and that should lead to a big payday. 

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