The New Orleans Pelicans' season did not go as planned, but it was an interesting year for almost all of the players (for better or worse). There were some surprises, some let-downs and a whole lot of information to unpack before building next year's team.
To better understand the team as a whole, it's important to break everything down to the individual level. Here's a look at what went well, what went wrong and an overall grade for Pelicans wing Bryce McGowen's 2026 campaign:
What Went Well
McGowens came out of seemingly nowhere and ended up being an extremely valuable member of New Orleans' rotation this season. He was signed to a two-way contract before the season and ended up earning a full contract by the end, taking Jose Alvarado's roster spot.
The 23-year-old averaged 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 48.1/40.9/77.9 shooting splits. That 40.9% from three was exactly what the Pelicans needed, though it was only on 2.2 attempts per game because of his smaller role. He was capable of getting hot, though, and taking games over off the bench. It didn't happen too often, but it was very promising when it did.
What Went Wrong
There's not too much to complain about, given the expectations going into the year and what he ended up making out of his role.
One of the biggest areas of weakness was that 77.9% from the free throw line. Someone like him, a good shooter, should be more reliable from the charity stripe. He also wasn't great at scoring at the rim, with a lot of frustrating missed layups, similar to Jeremiah Fears.
The defense was also worse with him on the court, partially due to the fact that he isn't a great rebounder. He was good enough on offense to outweigh the issue.
Overall Grade - B+
The former 40th overall pick deserves some credit for reviving his career in New Orleans after struggling with the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers. He played in just 13 games last season and averaged 1.0 points.
McGowens didn't play a ton, finished 12th in minutes played behind Alvarado, but looked good when he was on the court. Next year will carry more expectations, so he'll have to be better as well.
What's Next?
The best way that he can get more minutes and help New Orleans is by becoming more of a volume three-point shooter. That's clearly his most promising skill, so the Pelicans should fully lean into it. He could fill some of the role that was supposed to go to Jordan Poole as a floor spacer.
Obviously figuring things out on the defensive end would help out as well. The best case scenario for New Orleans is McGowens becoming a reliable bench three-and-D guy.