Los Angeles will be taking another flyer on a former first round pick.
As first reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the South Bay Lakers plan to acquire Kobe Bufkin. He was selected with the No. 15 pick
by Atlanta in the 2023 draft and averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists last year with the Hawks.
Bufkin was recently traded to the Nets for cash considerations and ultimately waived.
The Lakers have previous connections with Bufkin. They secretly worked him out as part of their draft process back in 2023 and were reportedly considering moving up in the draft to select him.
Bufkin was ultimately taken with the No. 15 pick and the Lakers took Jalen Hood-Schifino with the No.17 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft.
During his two years in Atlanta, Bufkin’s playing time was limited, as he only featured in 27 games. His best performance was a 10-point game he had in a win against the Pelicans. He shot 4-4 in the 12 minutes he played against New Orleans.
Once he joins South Bay, he’ll be able to further develop his game under the tutelage of head coach Zach Guthrie.
The Lakers have recently brought in other top draft selections to their organization, looking to see if they can better fit within their franchise.
Nick Smith Jr. is a prime example of this. He’s on a two-way deal with the Lakers and was the No. 27 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. He spent two seasons with the Hornets before being waived and picked up by LA.
Bufkin will now try to join the other South Bay players who made their way from the G League to the pros, including names such as Jay Huff, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jordan Goodwin.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
