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The New Orleans Pelicans are entering a new era this season after they traded away veterans CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. With a couple of seemingly solid draft picks in Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, and bringing in veterans like Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole, the team is looking to compete in the Western Conference this year. Hitting on the margins is important too, and the Pelicans made a recent roster move to that end with the signing of Bryce McGowens, as per Shams Charania of ESPN.
The Pelicans’ signing of Bryce McGowens was for a two-way contract, and he will occupy the team’s third and final two-way spot on the roster. He joins Hunter Dickinson and Trey Alexander as the Pelicans’ three players on two-way deals. Dickinson was scooped up almost immediately after going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, while Alexander spent last season as a rookie with the Denver Nuggets on a two-way contract.
McGowens was the No. 40 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and his draft rights were immediately traded to the Charlotte Hornets. He played on a two-way contract during his rookie season before the Hornets converted his contract to standard deal for the 2023-24 season.
After the Hornets cut McGowens in the 2024 offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers signed him to a two-way contract. He spent most of last season in the G League with the Rip City Remix, but suffered a season-ending injury in late March.
The former Nebraska star has appeared in a total of 118 NBA games over the past three seasons. He holds career averages of 4.8 points an 1.7 rebounds with splits of 41.5 percent shooting from the field, 32.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 76.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
During last year’s NBA All-Star Weekend, McGowens hit a game-winning three-point shot to send Team G League to the Rising Stars championship game. He appeared in 30 total games for Rip City while averaging 28.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 48.5 percent shooting from the field, 34.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 81.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
