As long as you don’t consider bundled Google apps bloatware, yes.

You can always build your own AOSP (which is essentially Android minus Google). In case of Pixels, this is particularly easy. I use a Pixel to avoid Google, which is a bit paradoxical.

And as long as you don't consider google a spyware company, which they are.

Yes, that was always the draw of the Nexus and Pixel lines. "Vanilla Android." Really hope that's still the case, though I've switched back to iPhone for a number of reasons.

I used to buy Nexus phones and jailbreak them for SU root privileges so I could deny apps (mostly by google) from using permissions without my consent on app launch.

With that being said, I'll be switching to an iPhone for privacy reasons, starting with my next phone and I've been a loyal Android user since Google started with the G1. How times have changed...

You can use LineageOS for a zero-GOOG experience from first run without uninstalling anything.

FYI I have a Nokia 7+ and it is fairly good for giving a pure Google experience ("Android One"), without being quite so expensive.

Also HMD Global seem to be reliable at giving the security updates OTA.

I haven't looked at the newer Nokia 7.1.

I'm not sure I'd go with a Nokia after https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/03/hmd-admits-the-nokia...

Sure, awful, but HMD Global fixed the problem which I respect.

My other choices are Google (expensive, multiple Nexus letdowns in past), Samsung/LG (awful software), Chinese phones (crapware, I don't trust), Sony (abusive relationship), a bunch of other brands with other reasons I dislike, or iPhone (costly and I don't like the UI).

True. And i totally agree with your roundup of the main alternatives. I went for a Chinese phone last time and it's probably the best one I've had in terms of quality and features. But Lord knows what stuff I'm sending back to China. I've been meaning to try lineage out.