The Los Angeles Lakers released guard Kobe Bufkin on Friday, opening a spot on the club’s standard 15-man roster before the league’s 5:00 p.m. ET waiver cutoff.
The move appeared on NBA.com’s transaction log at 4:50 p.m. ET, hours after ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the impending waiver. Los Angeles now has until Sunday—the final day teams can carry fewer than 15 standard contracts—to fill the vacancy before its regular-season finale.
Bufkin, the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, has already changed uniforms multiple times. Atlanta sent him to Brooklyn last summer after two injury-marred seasons, and the Nets released him at the end of the preseason. He then joined the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where he averaged 24.8 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 32.5 minutes over 24 games, shooting .507/.423/.895 and earning All-NBAGL Second Team honors.
That performance led to consecutive 10-day contracts with Memphis and Los Angeles before the Lakers signed him to a standard two-year minimum deal in February. In 16 NBA appearances this season, the 23-year-old logged 7.4 minutes per game and posted 2.9 points on .300/.192/.917 shooting splits.
Bufkin’s contract was not guaranteed beyond 2025/26. He will receive his full $844,607 salary for next season, but Los Angeles owes no money for 2026/27, regardless of whether he clears waivers on Sunday.
The Lakers have not indicated whom they might add to the roster, though backcourt help could be a focus with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves both sidelined by injuries.
Source: Hoops Rumors
