Overview
- ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on Nov. 13 that South Bay intends to acquire Kobe Bufkin from the NBA G League player pool.
- It has not been disclosed whether the addition will come via a waiver claim or through a rights trade, but either route would land him with the Lakers’ affiliate.
- Bufkin, the No. 15 pick in the 2023 draft out of Michigan, was traded from the Hawks to the Nets in the offseason and was waived in October before entering the G League pool.
- Injuries curtailed his early NBA career, including a fractured thumb, a sprained toe, and season-ending shoulder surgery in December 2024, limiting him to 27 games for Atlanta with averages of 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes.
- G League rights are separate from NBA roster rights, but if he proves healthy and productive in South Bay, his two years of service keep him eligible for a two-way contract.