Bryce McGowens
#11SG · New Orleans Pelicans
Day-to-Day
Height
6'6"
Weight
190 lbs
Age
23
College
Nebraska
Experience
3 yrs
Wingspan
6'8.8"
Reach
8'7.5"
Hand Size
8.75" × 9.5"
C
C+
D+
C+
N/A
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The Verdict on Bryce, in One Read
On the field, Bryce McGowens grades out as a shaky SG for New Orleans Pelicans (D+ Impact). That places him 95th of 147 graded shooting guards. In his on-court role, the grade is middling (C+ Role), reflecting how he produces relative to others at his position. Against that production, his deal reads as fairly priced on the Contract Value Index (C) — the team is paying below what the play would command. The public read is mixed (C+ Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal rather than the box score.
Career StatsD
| Year | Team | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 160 | 8.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 48.1% | 35.1% | 77.1% |
| 2025-26 | | 42 | 8.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 |
Performance Grade by Season
PeakDLongevityMid-CareerRecentF
| Season | Team | GP | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | | 42 | 8.1 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 48.1% | C- C- |
| 2024-25 |  | 13 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 28.6% | F F |
| 2023-24 |  | 59 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 43.9% | F F |
| 2022-23 | | 46 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 39.6% | D D |
Grades reflect the player's performance in each season. Header grade shows the current season.
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$725K
Guaranteed
$3.3M
AAV
$725K/yr
Guaranteed %457%
Contract Value Index (CVI)
C
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Bryce McGowens's Contract Value Index lands at C, putting the deal in a clear band of comparable signings. The verdict reflects a mismatch between organizational optimism and on-court execution: McGowens is a fourth-year player earning $724,598 AAV on a one-year deal, a modest salary floor that insulates the Pelicans from downside risk, yet his 2025-26 season production of 8.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.5 APG across 42 games reads as a fringe rotation contributor rather than the developmental breakout the three-year standard contract conversion was meant to signal. At 23, he still has legitimate runway to grow, but the performance grade at D—combined with a reported toe fracture that appears to have disrupted his season—suggests the early organizational goodwill and media framing of a "gem" were premature. The CVI reflects a low-cost hedge on youth with moderate positional market expectations; shooting guards at this salary tier are typically either depth pieces or high-upside reclamation plays, and McGowens occupies that latter category despite inconsistent output. With the Pelicans at 26-56 and cycling through roster transactions in inventory mode, McGowens's contract carries minimal cap burden but also minimal leverage—he remains a prospect on a prove-it path rather than a cornerstone asset. The one-year structure provides the front office flexibility to re-evaluate this summer, but sentiment has cooled measurably from early-season optimism, and the window to reclaim that "promising reclamation project" narrative is narrowing as the season concludes.
Performance Analysis
D
#95 of 147 Shooting Guards
Contracts in the Same Value Band
Other same-position deals the Contract Value Index also places in the C band — a quick read on where Bryce's contract sits relative to comparable money.
How Bryce Compares at the Position
Bryce McGowens ranks 95th of 147 graded shooting guards by performance. That slots Bryce between Amir Coffey (D+) just ahead and Gradey Dick (D) just behind.
Graded higher
Amir CoffeyPhoenix SunsD+Cam ThomasMilwaukee BucksDChaz LanierDetroit PistonsDBryce McGowensD
Graded lower
Gradey DickToronto RaptorsTransaction History
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About this player
Bryce McGowens is a player in his 3rd NBA season listed at SG for the New Orleans Pelicans. FanVerdicts covers every NBA player, team, GM, and transaction — and puts your verdict on all of it. Sign in to cast your Fan Verdict on Bryce McGowens, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts also brings its own read — performance, sentiment, and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C, Performance D, Sentiment C+.
The crowd's Fan Verdict moves in real time as fans vote on this profile. FanVerdicts' own read updates as new data lands — performance recalculates when NBA game stats post, sentiment shifts with media coverage and fan discussion, and the Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) behind the Contract Value Index read.
For league-wide context, the NBA hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The NBA player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.