Trail Blazers Signing Bryce McGowens to Two-Way Contract

The 6-foot-7 guard fills the second of Portland's three two-way contract spots.

📸: Soobum Im, Getty Images

📍 LAS VEGAS — The Trail Blazers are signing third-year guard Bryce McGowens to a two-way contract, according to a league source. ESPN first reported the signing. McGowens will be added to the Blazers’ Summer League team, which plays its first game in Las Vegas on Saturday.

McGowens played his first two seasons in Charlotte after being the No. 40 overall pick in the 2022 draft coming out of Nebraska. He wasn’t able to find a consistent role with the Hornets, who waived him earlier this month. A 6-foot-7 wing, he was viewed at the time of the draft as a long-term developmental project with good athleticism and two-way potential, but hasn’t been able to realize that in Charlotte. Now, he’ll have an opportunity in Portland.

After signing McGowens, the Blazers will have two of their three two-way contract spots filled. They re-signed Justin Minaya, who spent all of last season on a two-way. Last year’s other two-way players, Ashton Hagans and Ibou Badji, are not currently with the organization. Badji is playing at Summer League for the Bucks, who still hold his G League returning-player rights.

Going into the offseason, the Blazers planned to keep their two remaining two-way spots open to see who was cut by other teams or who stood out in Summer League. Chinese wing Jacky Cui has already agreed to an Exhibit 10 training-camp deal with the Blazers, and could be in the running for the third two-way spot, but those decisions may remain open-ended until training camp. Two-way contracts are also fully non-guaranteed, so just because they sign someone to a two-way doesn’t mean they’ll stay on one.

Two-way contracts are development deals given to players with four years or less of NBA experience who split time between the NBA and G League, and can be on the active NBA roster for a maximum of 50 games before they have to either be converted to a standard NBA contract or cut. Last season, the Blazers’ first with their own G League team, the Rip City Remix, they made significant use of their two-way spots, with two of their two-way players, Skylar Mays and Duop Reath, having their deals converted to full NBA contracts (Mays was later waived).

The open third two-way spot is the last remaining bit of roster flexibility the Blazers have outside of camp invites. After picking up Dalano Banton’s team option for next season and signing No. 7 overall pick Donovan Clingan to his rookie scale contract, they have 15 players under contract for next season, although Banton’s salary is only $217,533 guaranteed before opening night. There’s still a possibility they trade one or more of their veterans, such as Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle or Anfernee Simons, but nothing appears imminent on that front as of now.