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South Bay Lakers to Acquire Former First-Round Pick Kobe Bufkin

The move places the 22-year-old guard in the Lakers’ system without guaranteeing a call-up.

Overview

  • ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported on Nov. 13 that South Bay plans to acquire Bufkin from the G League player pool.
  • Bufkin, the No. 15 pick in the 2023 draft out of Michigan, was traded from the Hawks to the Nets and waived last month.
  • Across 27 NBA games with Atlanta over two seasons, he averaged 5.0 points in 11.9 minutes and shot 22% in a small sample.
  • G League rights do not confer NBA roster rights, so any promotion to the Lakers would require a separate contract.
  • This is a low-cost evaluation opportunity that keeps Bufkin in front of Lakers decision-makers as he seeks to re-earn NBA consideration.