The Lakers are adding a piece to their struggling offense, signing G-League affiliate guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract on Tuesday, the team announced.
The addition was announced ahead of the Lakers’ home matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, L.A.’s second night of a back-to-back.
The Lakers, who have lost three straight games, are in desperate need of help scoring outside of Luka Dončič and LeBron James, who have combined for 104 of the team’s 213 points in the last two games.
Bufkin, 22, has been a huge contributor with the South Bay Lakers, averaging 26.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 41% from 3 and 52% overall in 14 games.
He has played in 27 games in the NBA (all with the Hawks), averaging 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
The Michigan native dropped over 40 points twice in Dec. for South Bay, having a 42-point night against the Rip City Remix on Dec. 9 in the Tip-Off tournament and 41 (nine assists) against Oklahoma City Blue on Dec. 27 in the regular season.
The six-foot-four guard was the 15th overall pick out of Michigan in the first round of the 2023 draft class by the Hawks.
The Lakers have six games in the next 10 days of Bufkin’s contract, playing three at home and three on the road. It’s uncertain when Bufkin will play, but with Austin Reaves still sidelined with a calf strain, he will be sure to have his shot and contribute for a ball club that’s lacked scoring from 3-point range.
The Lakers are tied with the Raptors for the worst 3-point percentage in the NBA, averaging 33.8% from 3 per game.
Bufkin will wear No. 18 for the Lakers, the number that was last worn by Dion Waiters in 2020 and by fan-favorite Sasha Vujačić from 2005 to 2011.