Lakers waive Kobe Bufkin to open playoff roster spot
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The Los Angeles Lakers released guard Kobe Bufkin on April 10, 2026, creating an open roster position ahead of the postseason, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
By cutting Bufkin, the team now has until Sunday to fill the vacancy with a player who will be eligible for the playoffs. League rules bar the signing of anyone who was waived after March 1.
Bufkin, 22, joined the Lakers earlier this season after excelling with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where he earned Second Team All G League honors. In 16 NBA appearances, including one start, he averaged 2.9 points in 7.4 minutes per game.
Head coach JJ Redick has been rotating several backcourt options while the club plays without injured guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and as Marcus Smart continues to recover from a right ankle contusion. Minutes have recently gone to Bufkin, Bronny James, Adou Thiero, Nick Smith Jr., and Dalton Knecht.
The Lakers could use the newly opened slot to sign an external free agent or to convert a two-way player to a standard contract. Two-way players are ineligible for postseason action, but both Smith and forward Drew Timme have drawn Redick’s trust at various points during the season. Smith’s scoring bursts, including a key outing in a recent win over Golden State, and Timme’s spot start against Oklahoma City have positioned them as potential candidates for elevation.
Los Angeles enters the final days of the regular season seeking stable guard depth as it prepares for a playoff run without its two leading scorers.
Source: Lakers Nation
