Kobe Bufkin joins Grizzlies on 10-day hardship contract
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The Memphis Grizzlies have reached a 10-day agreement with free-agent guard Kobe Bufkin after the NBA granted the club a hardship exception, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday.
Hardship exceptions let a team temporarily exceed the standard 15-man roster when at least four players have missed three consecutive games and are expected to remain sidelined for a minimum of two additional weeks.
Memphis is currently without four point guards — Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe surgery), Ty Jerome (calf strain), Ja Morant (calf strain) and rookie Javon Small (turf toe). Forward/center Brandon Clarke also remains out while rehabbing from offseason knee surgery.
Bufkin, 22, was selected 15th overall by Atlanta in the 2023 draft. Injuries limited the 6’4″ guard to 27 appearances over two seasons with the Hawks, where he averaged 5.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 11.9 minutes while shooting .374 from the field, .220 from beyond the arc and .654 at the foul line.
The Michigan product fractured his left thumb and sprained a toe as a rookie, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in December 2024.
Atlanta traded Bufkin to Brooklyn during the offseason, but the Nets waived him last month while trimming their roster to 15. He entered the NBA G League player pool and was subsequently acquired by the South Bay Lakers.
In two G League Tip-Off Tournament games with South Bay this fall, Bufkin has averaged 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 28.7 minutes, shooting .444/.500/.800.
According to Grant Afseth, Bufkin was already on Memphis’s list of potential guard targets when injuries began piling up before opening night.
Source: Hoops Rumors
