Hawks forward Saddiq Bey met the “starter criteria” for potential restricted free agents earlier this week by making his 41st start of the season.
An RFA-to-be meets the criteria – which dictates the value of his qualifying offer – when he starts 41 games or plays 2,000 minutes in the final season of his contract, or when he averages 41 starts (or 2,000 minutes) in his last two seasons before free agency.
As a result of meeting the starter criteria, Bey will see the value of his qualifying offer increase by approximately $2M. The No. 19 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Bey had been on track for a QO worth $6,498,258, but that figure will be bumped to $8,486,620, which is the equivalent of what the No. 9 pick in his draft class would receive.
It remains to be seen whether or not that modest bump will have a tangible impact on Bey’s free agency. If the Hawks issue the qualifying offer and the 24-year-old signs a multiyear contract, the QO will essentially just function as a placeholder until his new deal is completed. But he has been inconsistent this season, shooting a career-worst 31.6% from the three-point line, so it’s not as if he’s a lock for a massive payday, despite his promising skill set.
Perhaps the increase from $6.5M to $8.5M will give the Hawks – who have over $158M in guaranteed money committed to 10 players in 2024-25 – some pause as they consider whether to issue that qualifying offer. And if Bey does receive a QO and doesn’t find an appealing multiyear deal right away, that extra $2M could make accepting the one-year deal a more intriguing option.
Bey is the third potential restricted free agent to meet the starter criteria this season, joining Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Bulls forward Patrick Williams. Former Pistons guard Killian Hayes actually met it as well, but he was subsequently waived by Detroit, eliminating the possibility of restricted free agency this summer.
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