The New Orleans Pelicans front office finally gave Bryce McGowens a standard NBA contract. After Dalen Terry was waived following the trade deadline deal New Orleans made to send Jose Alvarado to New York, it was obvious the team’s final roster spot was McGowens.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, McGowens agreed to a new three-year deal with the Pelicans. This season, McGowens has averaged 7.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while also starting in 11 of his 32 appearances.
After originally being signed to the team’s final two-way spot this summer, McGowens got his chance to prove himself early in the season and never really looked back. For a team that makes the fourth fewest threes per game, McGowens has been a reliable floor spacer, shooting 45.3 percent from beyond the arc this season.
The saying goes that the third time is the charm, and it appears that's the case for McGowens. After being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, he spent two years there before joining the Portland Trail Blazers last season. Now on his third stop, it appears the 23-year-old has found a real home in the NBA with the Pelicans.
McGowens earned this
It’s uncommon to see a player on a two-way deal start by his 10th appearance of the season, but that was the reality for McGowens. He quickly earned the coaching staff's trust by simply understanding his role and being a smart basketball player. Sometimes we see players come up from the G League and try to do too much—for example, Brandon Boston Jr. last season for New Orleans. While BBJ was a fun watch, he wasn't really playing a role he could have on a winning team down the line, which is why he is now overseas rather than in the NBA.
From day one with New Orleans, McGowens bought in and understood that to get a long-term deal, it was time to buy into the role of a complementary piece.
He's selective with his shots and his moments, so whether he's cutting or slipping a screen off the ball, everything he does is calculated. This, again, is a huge reason he's been so efficient this season, shooting 48 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from three, as this season we've rarely seen McGowens take a bad shot.
Even though he isn't a great defender by any means, him being a 6-foot-6 guard gives the Pelicans a ton of positional size on the defensive side of the ball.
When you look at the big picture with this Pelicans team, it appears they may have a trio of future stars in Derik Queen, Trey Murphy III, and Jeremiah Fears. Keeping players like McGowens around is crucial, as his floor spacing, size, and high basketball IQ make him a great complementary piece who fits the timeline, given that he's just 23.
Although it appeared this was an obvious move following the trade deadline, the Pelicans have been an unpredictable team since Joe Dumars took over. So, fans should be glad he finally pulled the trigger on locking Bryce McGowens into the team's future.