Kobe

Bufkin

Dončić joins LeBron James (foot) and Austin Reaves (forearm) as questionable for the second night of this back-to-back. If Dončić is unavailable, there is a good chance the other two are out as well, which would leave the Lakers incredibly shorthanded. Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia are both candidates to move into the starting unit, while Kobe Bufkin may return to the rotation as a backup ball handler behind Marcus Smart.

Making his first start as an NBA player, Bufkin started well on Tuesday. He shot 2-of-4 from the field in the first quarter and dished out an assist. Unfortunately, the former first-round pick’s production tailed off, an unsurprising development, given Bufkin’s limited in-game experience. There’s no need to roster him in redraft leagues, but managers competing in deeper dynasty leagues can afford to stash Bufkin.

Because of injuries, the Lakers will have an incredibly thin rotation for Tuesday’s game. Bufkin, Kennard and Hayes move into the starting lineup, stepping in for Marcus Smart, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton. While none of the spot starters are guaranteed to provide solid fantasy value, they’re all worth streaming.

Bufkin’s contract includes a team option for the 2026-27 season. The former first-round pick has spent most of this season in the G League, earning a 10-day contract with the Lakers in mid-January. With the Bufkin signing, the Lakers have filled all 15 of their standard contract slots.

Bufkin has played well for the Lakers’ G-League affiliate, and he may earn some time with the parent club due to LA’s numerous injuries. Fantasy managers, however, shouldn’t scramble to the waiver wire to add him.

Bufkin, the 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, struggled to get his NBA career off the ground in Atlanta. Of course, this wasn’t the best spot for the point guard, as Trae Young is a franchise cornerstone and Dejounte Murray was also on the roster during Bufkin’s rookie season. Injuries were also an issue for him, having appeared in 27 NBA games during his two seasons in Atlanta. Bufkin’s 2024-25 campaign ended in mid-December due to a shoulder injury, but he did start at the point for the Hawks’ Summer League team. The trade to Brooklyn gives the former Michigan guard a fresh start and a legitimate opportunity to earn consistent playing time on a rebuilding team. The Nets did use two of their five first-round picks on playmakers in Egor Demin and Nolan Traoré, and they stand to be Bufkin’s competition for rotation minutes when training camp opens.

Bufkin shot the ball far better than on Sunday, when the Hawks guard made only three of 17 attempts from the field in a win over Phoenix. However, the scoring efficiency was countered by a brutal day regarding ball control. Bufkin turned the ball over nine times against the Rockets, eight more than his total on Sunday. While his opportunities will be limited once the regular season begins, Bufkin must be efficient as a scorer and playmaker to log consistent minutes off the bench.

Bufkin did not have a good day shooting the basketball, but that’s unsurprising given that he’s working his way back from season-ending shoulder surgery in December. The rust is expected. The positive for Bufkin is that he dished out nine assists while committing just one turnover. Bufkin has little fantasy value at this point behind Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. However, Bufkin reaching the point where he can be trusted with rotation minutes would benefit the franchise.

Bufkin appeared in just 10 games before his 2024-25 season came to a close. The Hawks guard is expected to make a full recovery for the 2025-26 campaign.

Young hasn’t been on the injury report for this injury that forced him to miss their game against Boston a couple weeks ago, but Atlanta was fined $100k earlier in the day for not playing Young in an NBA Cup game. An independent physician determind that they could’ve played Trae but didn’t. The Hawks ended up winning the game. Clearly, they’re making sure to show that he is still dealing with the injury by including him here, though he should be available to play. However, if he doesn’t, Kobe Bufkin should get the start in his place.