As the rest of the NBA has been aggressive in making moves to shake up their rosters this offseason, the Pelicans are staying pat and running back a very similar roster to the one they fielded in 2025-26. Coming off a 26-win season, Joe Dumars and his staff have taken an unorthodox approach and opted to bank on internal growth with Jamahl Mosley at the helm of unlocking that growth. For some, the players they are expecting a next step from are Derik Queen, Jeremiah Fears, Yves Missi, or even Trey Murphy III. But the player flying way under everyone's radar is Bryce McGowens.
McGowens joined the Pelicans on a two-way deal ahead of last season and, due to early injuries and a struggle-filled start, received a ton of early opportunity. McGowens fit in perfectly with the Pelicans as a non-ball-dominant guard who could do a bit of everything and be a reliable floor-spacing threat for a team in dire need of some shooting.
McGowens saw his two-way deal be converted to a standard contract in mid-February and is coming into next season in a great position to break out for the Pelicans.
The Pelicans have created a perfect situation for Bryce McGowens to breakout
This past season, McGowens averaged 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21 minutes per game while shooting 40.9 percent from three across 42 appearances. His numbers may not jump off the page or scream a brewing breakout for the 23-year-old, but that’s McGowens’ entire MO and what makes him such a dangerous piece for New Orleans. His ability to fly under the radar, stay out of the way of the top dogs like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, and capitalize on his opportunities when they come to him is something that could make him the perfect fifth starter.
With Dejounte Murray, Zion, and Murphy III all expected to start next season, you want to force-feed them touches, and having players like McGowens around them is ideal. Low-usage, high-IQ floor-spacer players who also have positional size like McGowens at 6-foot-6 aren’t easy to come by, and are exactly what you need off the ball in the Pelicans’ starting five.
Rather than having another guy who's competing for touches with New Orleans’ stars, McGowens is someone who complements them. His offensive game is simple, reliable, smooth, and smart.
Defensively, McGowens is also no slouch. He isn’t going to be an elite point-of-attack defender or someone who is going to generate a crazy amount of turnovers or rack up steals and blocks, but he is far from a negative on that end. At his size and with his awareness, McGowens is a strong team defender, and the type of wing Mosley has a track record of unlocking defensively.
Given the moves, or rather lack of moves, Dumars and the front office have made this offseason, internal growth is going to be huge if the Pelicans have any chance of being competitive heading into 2026-27. With McGowens’ style of play and fit alongside the team's stars, he’s a candidate to jump at the opportunity that the Pelicans have created with their limited moves.
Add us as a preferred source on Google