Lakers Sign Kobe Bufkin to Two-Year Deal and Fill Their Final Roster Spot
Tonight, the shorthanded Lakers took on the Golden State Warriors in their second game back from their Grammy Trip. They captured the victory after a closely contested wire-to-wire contest.
THE LAKERS CLOSE OUT THE WARRIORS IN LA 🔥
LAL had SIX players in double figures tonight! That’s 3 in a row 👀 pic.twitter.com/15wxYEcYc9
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) February 8, 2026
Tonight was the first game they played with their newest addition, Luke Kennard, available since the trade deadline. He looked great tonight, putting up 10 points, two rebounds, and two assists while shooting 4/7 from the field and 2/4 from three.
The move to replace Gabe Vincent, while not vaulting Los Angeles into championship favorites, was a step in the right direction. The only move they had left to make was the usage of their 15th roster spot. Tonight, after the game, they made the decision on who would get the final spot.
Lakers Sign Kobe Bufkin
The Lakers are one of the teams that look closely at the buyout market each season. They’ve picked up some legitimate role players in the past, and this year had some strong candidates. Players like Lonzo Ball, Haywood Highsmith, Chris Boucher, and Matisse Thybulle would’ve been solid additions.
Los Angeles chose to keep it in-house.
The Purple and Gold signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal, giving him quite the promotion from the South Bay Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal, with a team option for the 2026-27 season, sources tell ESPN. Bufkin has starred for L.A.’s South Bay affiliate and now rejoins the Lakers in his third NBA season to fill their 15th roster spot. pic.twitter.com/Z1m3M4KvTM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2026
Bufkin has averaged 27.7 PPG, 4.7 APG, and 3.9 RPG on 49.6% from the field and 43.1% from three. He’s been brutalizing weaker opponents, and it’s time for him to show he can do half that against legit NBA talent.
It will be interesting to see how he fits into the rotation if he’s even able to this year. With his production in the G-League, however, it’s a good idea to lock him up for the next two seasons. Who knows, guys named Kobe tend to have pretty solid careers in Los Angeles.
