Why Pelicans' Preseason Is Quietly Huge for Bryce McGowens

Preseason games are roughly three weeks away for the New Orleans Pelicans, and this time usually means different things for two distinct camps.

Core starters like Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III use the preseason to build conditioning, get the timing down, and shake off offseason rust. For players like Bryce McGowens, early October is critical for roster positioning and depth chart hierarchy.

McGowens was a pleasant surprise for New Orleans last season, appearing in 42 games while averaging 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per contest. New Orleans converted his two-way deal into a three-year standard contract. The former second-round pick shot a career-high 40% from beyond the arc last year, giving the Pelicans one of their few viable threats from deep.

Now, the 6-foot-6 guard must use the upcoming preseason to solidify a recurring spot in the rotation.

What's at stake for Bryce McGowens this season with Pelicans

It’s no secret the Pelicans are guard- and wing-heavy on their roster. Navigating a spot amongst the likes of Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, Jeremiah Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and others is already a tall task. Not to mention, New Orleans recently brought in Bennedict Mathurin, who averages 28 minutes per game in his career.

Still, whether because of injury or poor play by the team last year, McGowens carved out 21 minutes per game, and those minutes showed real value to the team.

The South Carolina native shot nearly 47% from deep on open three-pointers last year, with most of his shots coming from spot-up shooting. New Orleans has long yearned for some consistent shooting from downtown, and now especially with Williamson and Queen figuring to play a bulk of minutes together, outside shooting will be a premium moving forward.

In lineups that featured both Queen and Williamson last year, New Orleans only shot 33% from downtown in those minutes. When McGowens shared the court with Zion, New Orleans shot 37% from three, and when he shared minutes with Queen, the Pelicans shot 40% from distance.

He could also benefit from the trade move of Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy in the deal that allowed New Orleans to officially sign Mathurin. Peavy was relied on late in the season as a consistent perimeter defender.

While McGowens has a slight frame at 190 pounds, his 6’9 wingspan helped him post career highs in steals and blocked shots last year. Bigger guards can have their way with him weight-wise, but his length can help offset some of those deficiencies. The preseason will give the new coaching staff an extended look at him on both ends of the floor.

Jamahl Mosley’s Orlando Magic roster last season featured a ton of 6’5-6’7 guards and wings that he used interchangeably, including one former Pelican, Jamal Cain, who became a favorite of Mosley.

Cain joined the Magic on a two-way contract, but because of his defensive ability, he quickly carved out extended playing time. He averaged over 17 minutes per game in the first round of last year’s playoffs against the Detroit Pistons.

McGowens isn’t the defensive player Cain is, but the latter isn’t nearly as polished offensively. Somewhere in the middle for McGowens would certainly give Mosley strong reason to give McGowens some time.

A productive preseason for McGowens would help solidify his footing on the roster for the upcoming season. If he can keep shooting consistently and improve to Mosley’s defensive standard, the former second-round pick should see his fair share of playing time this season.

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