5 Hornets whose roles are not safe after NBA trade deadline

Bryce McGowens

McGowens has been another guy called into duty, perhaps prematurely, but one who has played well for the Hornets. The second-year player was a 2nd round pick for the Timberwolves but made his way to the NBA with the Hornets last season.

He’s a 6’7” guard with a good amount of length and athleticism. He did a little bit of everything for Charlotte, but it’s not clear if McGowens excels at any particular skill or element of the game. Still, he was very useful as a bit of a Swiss Army Knife and was able to plug a lot of holes for a team in need, as he appeared in 42 games, averaging over 16 minutes a night.

Still, at this point in his young career, he’s better suited as a deeper bench guy; someone who is good to have in a pinch, but he shouldn’t have a major role in the rotation going forward. If he’s able to become a consistent knockdown shooter and works on his game, he has the tools to become a very useful NBA three-and-d guy, but that’s a long way away. 

For now, he’s going to have to earn his minutes. I’d be fairly surprised if McGowens gets consistent minutes the rest of this season, barring more injuries to the guys ahead of him on the depth chart.