The Memphis Grizzlies have signed Los Angeles Lakers G League guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day hardship exception contract. Bufkin, a 2023 first-round draft pick, recently impressed in two games with the South Bay Lakers before the call-up. This marks his third NBA season after stints with the Atlanta Hawks.
Kobe Bufkin, selected 15th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Michigan, has received a surprise opportunity with the Memphis Grizzlies. On Sunday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Grizzlies signed the guard to a 10-day hardship exception amid their injury challenges.
Bufkin spent his first two NBA seasons with the Hawks, where playing time was limited. As a rookie in 2023-24, he appeared in 17 games, averaging 4.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 11.5 minutes per game, shooting 37 percent from the field. In his sophomore year of 2024-25, he averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 12.4 minutes per game, with 38 percent field goal shooting, though in fewer appearances.
Over the offseason, the Hawks traded Bufkin to the Brooklyn Nets in September, but he was waived before the season started. His G League rights initially belonged to the Motor City Cruise, but the Lakers acquired them via trade on November 13 for a 2027 first-round pick in the G League draft. Bufkin made his debut with the South Bay Lakers, playing two games and averaging 22 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 steals in about 28.6 minutes per game. He shot 44 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
The Grizzlies, dealing with injuries to players like Ja Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Ty Jerome, provide Bufkin a chance for NBA minutes. He could return to South Bay after the stint, but this call-up offers a path back to an NBA roster. The Lakers, meanwhile, face the Utah Jazz on Sunday in Salt Lake City.