LOS ANGELES — Just hours after Rob Pelinka, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said the team would likely fill their vacant 15th roster spot, the team brought back a familiar face.
The Lakers are signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal with a player option for 2026-27, a source confirmed to the California Post on Saturday evening.
Bufkin starred for the Lakers’ South Bay G League affiliate, averaging 26.7 points on 51.3% shooting (43.1% on 3-pointers) to go with 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds.
He tied a season-high 41 points, to go with eight assists, in South Bay’s Wednesday win over Capital City Go-Go.
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Bufkin signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers in early January. He played four games for the Lakers before returning to South Bay. Bufkin also signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Grizzlies in November.
The No. 15 pick out of Michigan in the 2023 draft, Bufkin played two seasons for the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets last September before being waived in October and traded to South Bay in November.
