Pelicans sign former second-round pick to a two-way deal

The Pelicans are signing free agent guard Bryce McGowens to a new two-way deal, his Priority Sports agents Kyle McAlarney and Mark Bartelstein tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

McGowens had spent split his three previous NBA seasons with the Hornets and Trail Blazers.

The Nebraska alum enjoyed a bigger role with Charlotte from 2022-24. The swingman inked a two-way deal with Charlotte as a rookie in 2022/23, toggling between Charlotte and its NBAGL affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. His contract was converted to a multi-year standard deal midway through that first pro season. In 105 combined regular season bouts for the Hornets across those two seasons, he averaged 5.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG and 1.0 APG. McGowens also notched shooting splits of .419/.330/.764.

Charlotte cut McGowens in the summer of 2024, and he subsequently agreed to a two-way agreement with Portland.

The 6-foot-7 wing appeared in a limited role with Portland proper last year, while on another two-way deal. Across 13 healthy games, he averaged just 2.5 MPG.

Still just 22, McGowens put up impressive numbers on Portland’s NBAGL affiliate in 2024/25. Across 16 regular season bouts, McGowens averaged 29.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.5 SPG and 0.8 BPG. He logged a .487/.330/.806 slash line. A right rib fracture cut his year short.

He’ll now join fellow two-way signings Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson in New Orleans.