San Antonio Spurs v Los Angeles Lakers
San Antonio Spurs v Los Angeles Lakers
The New Orleans Pelicans have let go of a former Los Angeles Lakers guard as the team faces a roster crunch ahead of the 2026-2027 NBA season.
The team announced on Saturday that Kobe Bufkin, an ex-Lakers guard, and forward Jalon Moore have been waived by the Pelicans.
The team has now trimmed its roster down to the regular-season limit ahead of the 2026-2027 campaign.
Kobe Bufkin’s Brief Stint With The New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans Media Day
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SEPTEMBER 28: Kobe Bufkin #4 of the New Orleans Pelicans poses for a photo at the Smoothie King Center on September 28, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The 23-year-old guard, originally selected 15th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, had signed a training camp contract with New Orleans in July 2026 to compete for an opening-day roster spot.
While he initially generated significant buzz during the 2026 NBA Summer League, highlighted by an explosive 30-point performance in the Pelicans’ debut game, he was unable to sustain that momentum into the preseason.
Bufkin appeared in three preseason games for the Pelicans, averaging 5.0 points and 1.0 rebound in limited action.
Because his deal did not contain Exhibit 10 G League protection language, he is expected to enter free agency directly rather than reporting to the Pelicans’ G League affiliate squad.
After spending his first two professional seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, the former 15th overall pick found momentum with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he dominated by averaging 26.7 points per game.
It earned him a 10-day call-up to the main roster in January 2026. Impressed by his upside, the Lakers front office signed the 6-foot-4 guard to a multi-year standard NBA contract in February 2026 to fill their final roster spot.
Bufkin appeared in just 16 regular-season games for Los Angeles, averaging 2.9 points in 7.4 minutes per contest before being waived in April 2026 just ahead of the regular-season finale.
Kobe Bufkin Finds Great Growth Playing With Luka Doncic and LeBron James
Charlotte Hornets v Los Angeles Lakers
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 15: Kobe Bufkin #18 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives past LaMelo Ball #1 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The past three seasons have given Kobe Bufkin great growth as a point guard, especially his stint with the Lakers.
According to Bufkin, in his interview with RG’s Grant Afseth, Bufkin found great lessons from playing alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James when playing with the Lakers.
“Obviously, I’m coming from the Lakers. So Bron, Luka, just paying attention to their process has been good for me. So yeah, I would say those two,” Bufkin said.
Bufkin added that he also learned from the Pelicans’ Dejounte Murray.
“Dejounte, Dejounte would be one,” Bufkin said. “I’ve learned a lot from DJ, even though I’ve only known DJ for about, you know, a month. But yeah, it’s been a lot of good vets.”
Bufkin believed that the game has slowed down for him and that he feels more controlled now than his younger self.
Really just reading the game,” Bufkin said. “The game has slowed down a lot in my career. And knowing my role on the court and just being efficient at that role…Knowing when to catch and shoot, that’s the biggest one.”
Now, Bufkin’s immediate future involves exploring options across the wider basketball market. As a free agent, Bufkin can sign with any NBA team looking to fill a backcourt depth position or add a former first-round pick to their developmental system.
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Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler. A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda. More about Rob Andrew Lo
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