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Shamit Dua: Christian Koloko and Kobe Bufkin will be E9 deals. This means no G League obligations if they get waived, but a standard non guaranteed min if they are on the roster after camp ends. Koloko does not have 2-way eligibility left so this is a true compete for your spot opportunity
Will Guillory: Kobe Bufkin is signing a training camp deal with the Pelicans and will be one of the players competing for the final spot on the roster, a team source confirmed. @MikeAScotto was first to report. Bufkin, a former first-round pick in 2023, played really for New Orleans during
Michael Scotto: The New Orleans Pelicans and Kobe Bufkin have agreed to a one-year deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Bufkin was the 15th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. He’s spent the past three seasons with the Hawks and Lakers. He averaged 21.3 points in Summer League with the Pelicans.
After the Los Angeles Lakers waived Kobe Bufkin, they opened up an additional roster spot ahead of their playoff push. While several names have been mentioned as possible replacements, the vacancy is expected to be filled by a player on a two-way contract. According to NBA reporter Jovan Buha, the decision is likely coming down to forward Drew Timme and guard Nick Smith Jr., both of whom would need to be signed to a standard NBA contract in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
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Shams Charania: The Los Angeles Lakers are waiving guard Kobe Bufkin, sources tell ESPN. This opens a roster spot for the Lakers to evaluate a signing over the weekend.
Khobi Price: Jarred Vanderbilt has been upgraded to available for tonight at Dallas. Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht and Adou Thiero have also all been recalled from the South Bay Lakers over the last couple of days.
Jovan Buha: The Lakers have some big decisions to make. They are going to be shopping Dalton Knecht again this summer and trying to get off that. Kobe Bufkin has a team option that they have to decide on. Bronny James has a non-guaranteed contract that they have to decide on. So it's a big opportunity for those guys to show something. And I think Bronny has been shown something lately. But it is different if he's vaulted into a certain role where there are like real expectations or if he's playing in the playoffs like it's just a different different beast and we'll see how he fares if he ends up getting one of those rotation spots.
Law Murray: The Lakers report that Marcus Smart (ankle contusion) remains out when they visit Oklahoma City The first Luka/LeBron/AR vs SGA/Chet/Dub of the season. Kobe Bufkin, Dalton Knecht, and Adou Thiero (but NOT Bronny James) are with the #1 seed South Bay Lakers
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How about Haywood Highsmith? Jovan Buha: I haven't heard anything specifically on Haywood Highsmith other than it just seems like the Lakers were not comfortable with where he's at physically right now. So we'll see if he ends up signing elsewhere and how he potentially looks, but… I was on board with Highsmith. If he was physically ready I would have signed him over Kobe Bufkin, but yeah, I like Highsmith.
Brad Turner: Lakers announced they have signed guard Kobe Bufkin. Bufkin (6’4”, 195) has appeared in 14 regular season games (13 starts) with the South Bay Lakers this season, averaging 27.7 points on 52.2 percent shooting from the field, 43.1 percent from 3-point range.
Shams Charania: The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal, 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.
South Bay Lakers: The South Bay Lakers have re-acquired guard Kobe Bufkin. In a related moved, the team has waived guard James Reese.
