Former Atlanta Hawks guard Kobe Bufkin has signed a two-year contract with the LA Lakers on Saturday. According to reports, Bufkin will fill the 15th roster spot for Los Angeles after impressing in the G League for the South Bay Lakers.
ESPN insider Shams Charania first announced the deal on X (formerly Twitter).
Thanks for the submission!
“The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal,” Charania wrote. “With a team option for the 2026-27 season, sources tell ESPN. Bufkin has starred for L.A.’s South Bay affiliate and now rejoins the Lakers in his third NBA season to fill their 15th roster spot.”
•
Bufkin joined South Bay in November and caught fire in the G League, averaging 27.7 points per game. That surge was enough to earn him a contract with the Lakers, as the guard now enters his third NBA season.
Bufkin signed a two-year deal with a team option for a third season, though the exact financial terms were not disclosed. However, after agreeing to a four-year, $19.8 million contract with the Hawks in 2023, he is expected to earn close to the $4.95 million annual salary from that deal.
It still marks a significant jump for Bufkin, who had previously been limited to 10-day contracts with both the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in January, earning $131,970 from each stint.
The signing rounds out the Lakers’ roster for the second half of the season, with the backcourt reinforced by the additions of Luke Kennard and Bufkin.
However, Bufkin is expected to have a more limited role in the rotation, with most of his minutes this term in the G League. He has logged just 22 NBA minutes this season, all of which came during his appearance against the Trail Blazers in January.
Kobe Bufkin’s comments during his 10-day stint show why the Lakers moved quickly to a two-year deal
Kobe Bufkin signed with the LA Lakers on a 10-day contract in mid-January and played rotation minutes in two games, averaging 4.5 ppg.
After signing the contract, Bufkin shared his thoughts on the opportunity, remaining grateful.
“It’s just taking steps in the right direction,” Bufkin told ClutchPoints. “Not continuing to take any more steps back … Less about just being out there, but actually making an impact, there’s a difference. Just making the impact.”
Bufkin backed those words up. His impact was rewarded with a two-year contract from the Lakers, his first standard NBA deal since being waived by the Brooklyn Nets.
Edited by Arian Kashyap
