Lakers Sign Kobe Bufkin To 10-Day Contract
5:33pm: The signing is official, accordinig to a team press release.
1:29pm: The Lakers have agreed to a 10-day deal with guard Kobe Bufkin, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The 15th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Bufkin spent his first two professional seasons with the Hawks before being traded to the Nets this offseason. He was subsequently waived by Brooklyn before the 2025/26 regular season tipped off.
Bufkin battled injuries during his first two NBA seasons in Atlanta and made just 27 total appearances for the Hawks. He missed a significant chunk of his rookie year due to a fractured left thumb and a sprained toe, then underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in December 2024, less than two months into his second year.
Bufkin has been healthier so far this season though, making 14 appearances for the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles’ G League affiliate. The 6’4″ guard has put up big numbers at the NBAGL level, averaging 26.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 34.5 minutes per game, with an elite shooting line of .519/.409/.902.
Bufkin’s strong play in the G League earned him a 10-day contract from the Grizzlies in November, but he didn’t end up seeing any action in any of his five games with the team.
The 22-year-old’s 10-day contract will pay him $131,970, while the Lakers carry an identical cap hit. Los Angeles is right up against its first-apron hard cap and can’t currently sign a free agent to a rest-of-season contract.
Based on their cap situation, the Lakers were projected to be able to fit a rest-of-season signing under that hard cap as of January 18, but Bufkin’s 10-day deal will push that date back to Jan. 28.
Assuming the Lakers finalize their deal with Bufkin today, he’ll get an opportunity to suit up against his former team on his first day on the job — L.A. is hosting the Hawks on Tuesday night.
Northwest Notes: Avdija, Edwards, Gobert, Shannon Jr., Braun
Trail Blazers breakout star forward Deni Avdija won’t play on Tuesday against Golden State. He’s sidelined with lower back soreness, the team’s PR department tweets. Avdija, who is averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game, has appeared in all 40 of Portland’s previous games.
Another key Blazers player, forward Jerami Grant, is doubtful due to left Achilles tendonitis.
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards won’t suit up on Tuesday against Milwaukee due to right foot injury maintenance, the team’s PR department tweets. This will be the eighth game Edwards has missed this season — he’ll be ineligible for postseason awards if he misses 10 more games. Center Rudy Gobert will also miss the game — he’s serving a one-game league suspension for accumulating too many flagrant fouls. Regarding Gobert’s suspension, ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes that the one-game ban will cost Gobert $201,149 (Twitter link). The Wolves will also receive a tax variance credit of $100,575.
- Timberwolves guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is making progress from his left foot abductor hallucis strain but there’s no timetable for his return, according to a team press release. Shannon will miss his 10th straight game this evening. The 2024 first-round pick has appeared in 22 games off the bench this season but has only averaged 4.5 points in 12.8 minutes per game.
- Nuggets guard Christian Braun will miss his second consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain. Braun warmed up to play against Milwaukee on Sunday but didn’t feel right and was ruled out, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. It’s a concerning development, considering Braun missed nearly two months of action with an ankle injury before returning earlier this month.
- The Thunder‘s Luguentz Dort is a late scratch for tonight’s key matchup with San Antonio due to left foot soreness, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman tweets.
Pacific Notes: Hachimura, Luka, Harden, Suns, Warriors
Although he was available on Monday, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura sat out for a seventh straight game after head coach JJ Redick learned that Hachimura would be available for just one game in the team’s back-to-back set. As Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes, Redick decided to save the forward for Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.
The Lakers lost without Hachimura on Monday, falling to a Sacramento team that made 17-of-26 three-point tries. Luka Doncic racked up 42 points vs. the Kings, but was battling a groin issue that required treatment throughout the night, notes McMenamin.
“I was really uncertain (about playing),” Doncic admitted after the game. “Before the game, like warming up, I felt something. So we were just trying to get warm and get going.”
While Hachimura will make his return on Tuesday, it’s unclear whether Doncic (left groin soreness) or LeBron James (left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica) will play. They’re both listed as questionable, per Marc Stein (Twitter link), and could join Jaxson Hayes (left hamstring soreness) and Austin Reaves (left calf strain) on the sidelines.
“Obviously we’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now,” James said on Monday, according to McMenamin. “Not only guys that are not in uniform, but even guys that are in uniform. So, we’re just trying to weather the storm.”
We have more from around the Pacific:
- Clippers guard James Harden become the NBA’s ninth all-time leading scorer on Monday, passing Shaquille O’Neal‘s career total of 28,596 points. “Shaquille O’Neal, somebody that I literally grew up watching here in L.A.,” Harden said, per The Associated Press. “Him and Kobe (Bryant) doing their thing, winning multiple championships, the most dominant big man in the history of the game. It’s a true honor, it’s a testament to the work that I put in.”
- Asked if injured guards Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) and Jamaree Bouyea (concussion protocol) will be available at some point during the six-game road trip that begins on Tuesday, Suns head coach Jordan Ott replied, “That’s the plan” (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Green has been out since November 8, while Bouyea has missed Phoenix’s past four games.
- Spencer Davies of R.org profiles second-year Suns big man Oso Ighodaro, who has earned praise from Ott for his versatility and his ability to be a “connector” in a variety of lineups. Phoenix has a +7.5 net rating during Ighodaro’s time on the court this season, compared to a -1.2 mark when he sits. “I think last year, when it was spot minutes, I was just giving everything I got,” Ighodaro said. “And now, (I’m) playing a little bit longer stretches, trying to maintain that same level of play just for my entire stretch I’m in the game. I’m definitely being asked to do a little bit more this year, so I’m trying to do all that while maintaining all the effort and intensity.”
- In the wake of Sunday’s loss to Atlanta, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area refers to the Warriors‘ roster as “profoundly defective” due to the team’s lack of length and athleticism, while Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area questions whether head coach Steve Kerr should remain committed to a starting lineup featuring Moses Moody and Quinten Post alongside Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. That five-man unit has started 13 of the Warriors’ past 14 games but has a net rating of -3.3 on the season.
And-Ones: Fields, OTE, NBA Europe, 2026 Draft, More
Former Hawks general manager Landry Fields has a new job, having been hired by Overtime Elite (OTE) as its president of league operations, writes Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports.
The nine-team league, which launched in 2021 and is made up of prospects between the ages of 16 and 20, has several notable alumni, including recent NBA lottery picks like Alex Sarr, Amen Thompson, and Ausar Thompson. Fields will look for ways to continue growing OTE while overseeing all competitive, development, and operational aspects of the league, Schiffer writes.
“He’s got four unique parts of his career that touch everything we do,” Overtime CEO Dan Porter explained to Schiffer. “He was a player so he understands that ecosystem. And he’s a young guy. He knows what social media is. He deeply understands college. He played four years at Stanford. At the Spurs he really did player development and scouting and clearly our league is driven by talent. And at the Hawks, he dealt with all of the business side.
“None of (our other staff) have gone all the way up and down. We haven’t had someone who touches NBA, college, who was a player and touches all of those things.”
Here are several more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA is aiming for franchise valuations of up to $1 billion as it prepares to pitch investors on its new European league, according to Giles Turner and Jake Rudnitsky of Bloomberg (subscription required). With NBA commissioner Adam Silver overseas this week for games in Berlin and London, the league is expected to hold meetings this week with potential investors and teams for NBA Europe.
- The EuroLeague is seeking 10-year commitments from its A-license teams as it looks to avoid losing clubs to NBA Europe. According to Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, the EuroLeague has set this coming Friday as a deadline for those decisions and has threatened potential legal action against the NBA if it tries to recruit clubs that have committed to the EuroLeague.
- ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has updated his 2026 mock draft, which features Kansas star Darryn Peterson in the No. 1 spot on Houston point guard Kingston Flemings sneaking into the top five.
- Looking back at past transaction cycles, Zach Kram of ESPN analyzes 14 blockbuster trades completed since 2013 to determine what we can learn from them, while The Athletic’s NBA writers identify one trade that each of the NBA’s franchises would like to be able to undo.
- Michael Pina of The Ringer identifies his seven “least improved” players of the 2025/26 season so far, ranging from stars like Ja Morant and Evan Mobley to young role players like Rob Dillingham and Ochai Agbaji.
Hoops Rumors Mailbag: MIP, Hawks, Warriors, Morant, More
Our latest Front Office mailbag takes a look at the early frontrunners for the Most Improved Player award. We also answer several questions from readers that Luke Adams was unable to get to during Monday's live chat.
Bob asks:
Early thoughts on Most Improved Player? I'm thinking either Jalen Johnson or Deni Avdija, but I'm sure I'm missing some worthy candidates.
Mavericks Notes: Irving, Davis, Two-Ways, Flagg
The Mavericks are just 15-25 so far this season and are facing the prospect of being without star big man Anthony Davis for an extended period due to a hand injury. However, there have been no indications that the team is seriously considering the idea of shutting down point guard Kyrie Irving for the rest of the season, sources tell Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal.
Irving has spent most of the past year recovering from an ACL tear he sustained last March. While the Mavericks still haven’t provided any concrete updates on a potential timeline for the guard’s return to action, Afseth hears the “prevailing expectation” is that Irving is on track to play at some point after next month’s All-Star break.
According to Afseth, Irving looked “sharp, explosive, and efficient” while taking part in a full on-court workout with assistant coach Phil Handy during last week’s road trip. He showed no “visible hesitation” while taking part in those drills, which simulated game-like demands, Afseth adds.
Here’s more on the Mavericks:
- Head coach Jason Kidd didn’t have a concrete update on Monday when asked about Davis, who is reportedly seeking multiple medical opinions after sustaining ligament damage in his left hand. “I think that’s sometime this week that he’ll talk to the doctors,” Kidd said, per Eddie Sekfo of Mavs.com. “But there is no timetable when he’s going to make that announcement. The team is playing. We’ve been through this before, not just with AD. We’ve been hit with a lot of injuries the last two years. Next man up mentality.”
- Pointing out that Dallas is 5-15 when Davis doesn’t play this season, Christian Clark of The Athletic suggests the big man’s latest injury might actually be a blessing in disguise for the team, which could benefit from landing another high pick in the 2026 draft. After this year, the Mavs won’t control their own first-round selection again until 2031.
- Players on two-way contracts can be active for up to 50 regular season games, and Moussa Cisse (34) and Ryan Nembhard (33) are both on track to reach their limits in February. According to Kidd, Dallas is monitoring those figures very closely. “We’re good at that because we went through that last year,” Kidd said. “We all have dates for those guys if they play all the way out when they expire. We’ll be able to manage those from our experiences with last year’s two-ways.” The Mavs could eliminate that 50-game restriction by promoting Cisse and/or Nembhard to the 15-man roster, but they don’t currently have an open spot available and have limited cap flexibility below their second-apron hard cap.
- The last rookie to be named to the NBA’s All-Star Game was Blake Griffin in 2011. Could Cooper Flagg achieve the feat this year? Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News explores that subject, noting that Flagg is at least a lock to play in the Rising Stars event. “We hope that he does make the ‘big game’ and he gets voted in,” Kidd said. “He’s playing at a high level for a young player. He’s taking on the best defender. He’s trying to help his team win. He’s been very successful in late game. Hopefully he’s in the ‘big game,’ but he will participate in the ‘little game.'”
Trade Notes: Cavs, Nets, MPJ, Grizzlies, More
The Cavaliers acquired forward De’Andre Hunter in their only in-season trade in 2024/25, but Hunter’s disappointing performance so far in ’25/26 may necessitate another in-season move a year later, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Sources tell Fedor that the Cavaliers haven’t engaged in any meaningful trade talks with teams inquiring on their players so far, including one club that made an offer for Hunter. Cleveland still believes in its current group despite an underwhelming 22-19 first half and wants to see what it looks like at full strength, if possible, Fedor adds.
However, with Max Strus expected to remain sidelined for at least a few more weeks, Dean Wade dealing with a nagging knee issue – he recently underwent a precautionary MRI that came back clean, per Fedor – and Hunter struggling to make an impact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cavs explore their options on the trade market before the deadline.
After Hunter scored a season-low two points and committed three turnovers in 18 minutes of action in Monday’s home loss to Utah, head coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the forward’s struggles while expressing a belief that he can still turn things around.
“It’s not clicking. I think it’s a prolonged batting slump. It happens in every sport,” Atkinson said. “Trying to support him. Trying to get him some touches. Part of my job is to help him. He’ll snap out of it. He’s too good of a player to be playing like this. He’ll turn it around. We need him.”
Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:
- Noting that Nets general manager Sean Marks typically exercises patience on the trade market and doesn’t settle for deals that fall shy of his asking price, Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscription required) writes that there’s a real chance Michael Porter Jr. remains with the team through the trade deadline. One assistant GM told Lewis that he wouldn’t be surprised if Brooklyn hangs onto Porter and then sits him frequently after the trade deadline in an effort to tank for a high draft pick.
- Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports both check in on the Ja Morant situation, with Iko explaining why the Grizzlies appear prepared to move forward without the star point guard and O’Connor presenting some hypothetical trade scenarios involving the 26-year-old. Echoing recent reporting from ESPN, Iko says executives around the NBA are wondering if Memphis will also become open to dealing Jaren Jackson Jr., though the Grizzlies have insisted for now that’s not an option they’re considering.
- Dan Woike of The Athletic suggests six trade ideas for the Lakers, including potential deals that send Andrew Wiggins, Herbert Jones, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, or Justin Champagnie to Los Angeles. However, he also plays devil’s advocate by outlining reasons why his suggestions might not work, such as the Pelicans’ lack of interest in moving Jones and the Lakers’ reluctance to take on multiyear salary for a player like KCP.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic lays out a few trades he’d like to see happen, including one sending Bulls guard Coby White into the Pistons‘ trade exception for draft assets, a three-team deal sending Michael Porter Jr. to the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga to the Kings, and a Daniel Gafford/Bennedict Mathurin swap between the Pacers and Mavericks.
Hawks Notes: McCollum, Kispert, Draft, Risacher, Porzingis
The Hawks traded Trae Young to Washington last Friday, roughly four weeks ahead of this season’s trade deadline. Speaking to reporters on Monday, general manager Onsi Saleh acknowledged that he could’ve waived until closer to February 5 to see what other opportunities materialized involving Young, but he explained that he liked the return from the Wizards enough that he didn’t feel the need to wait.
“If there are deals to be done, why wait, is my philosophy,” Saleh said, per John Hollinger of The Athletic. “If you like something that makes a lot of sense, we’re going to do that. We just do what’s best for our organization. And, you know, I’m not one to really wait on anything like that.
“Trae has been so huge in our community. Him and (his wife) Shelby, what they’ve done, we just wish them the best. They’ve been phenomenal for our organization. (We’re) talking about a guy that’s been the face of our franchise for quite a long time. I really wish him the best, and he’s going to do some cool stuff over there too.
“But we like the trade, and what we did was something we really thought would help us now and in the future. The players coming back, I think they’re excellent fits with us and make a lot of sense for us, and we get deep in our rotation too.”
Saleh cited increased cap flexibility as one reason why Atlanta pulled the trigger on the deal with Washington, though he repeatedly stressed during Monday’s media session that the Hawks value the players they acquired, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. The Hawks’ GM views the newcomers as players capable of complementing a core whose evolution this season is viewed as a major positive.
“Jalen (Johnson)‘s game has evolved so much, and he’s doing some amazing things on the court,” Saleh said. “Most importantly, I think he’s making his teammates better as well. And that’s how we kind of look at this as like as the group grows. It’s the group, it’s not simply just one player either, right? It’s Jalen, it’s Dyson (Daniels), it’s Onyeka (Okongwu), it’s Zacch (Risacher), it’s Nickeil (Alexander-Walker). We got two guys, Nickeil and Jalen, who have just made tremendous leaps, and when Dyson’s on the ball, we’ve seen that leap as well. So, again, it just comes down to what we’re seeing and how this fits the entire group rather than one person.”
Here’s more on the Hawks:
- Saleh declined to comment on whether the Hawks have pursued or will pursue a contract extension with McCollum, but referred to the veteran guard as “somebody that I think could fit here long term,” per Hollinger. McCollum is on an expiring contract, but at least one report indicated Atlanta has some interest in working out a new deal with the 34-year-old.
- The Hawks control three picks in the 2026 draft, including the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s first-rounders, which could be a top-five selection. Saleh made no effort to downplay how important this year’s draft is for the organization, according to Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). “The draft is, to me, our biggest transaction period. The draft is how you build organically,” the GM said. “It’s how you build internally. And I feel like this is a really good draft, the talent that’s available. So again, that will be our most important transaction period. We’ve got to nail the draft. That’s going to be really important for us as we build this thing out.”
- It didn’t take long for McCollum and Kispert to make a positive impact on their new team, as Williams writes for the AJC (subscription required). Although the duo shot a combined 5-of-18 from the floor on Sunday, McCollum was a team-high +19 in his 24 minutes off the bench in the victory over Golden State. “I think he settled us,” head coach Quin Snyder said of McCollum. “There’s a level of poise and confidence that he has that when you’re on the court, whether it’s your teammates or even your coach, you see him with the ball and you feel confident in what he’s going to do.”
- After missing the past two games due to what the Hawks referred to as left knee inflammation, Risacher has had his injury designation updated to a left knee bone contusion, tweets Brad Rowland of Locked on Hawks. Risacher is considered questionable to play on Tuesday vs. the Lakers, while big man Kristaps Porzingis will miss a third straight game due to left Achilles tendinitis.
2025/26 In-Season NBA Trades
As we did with 2025’s offseason trades and the in-season swaps from 2024/25, we’ll be keeping track of all the NBA trades completed this season, updating this article with each transaction. This post can be found anytime throughout the season on our desktop sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features,” or in our mobile menu under “Features.”
Trades are listed here in reverse chronological order, with the latest on top. So, if a player has been dealt multiple times, the first team listed as having acquired him is the one that ended up with him. Trades listed in italics have been agreed upon but are not yet official. For our full story on each trade, click the date above it.
For more information on the specific conditions dictating if and when draft picks involved in these deals will actually change hands, be sure to check out RealGM.com’s breakdown of the details on traded picks.
Here’s the full list of the trades completed during the 2025/26 NBA season:
- Wizards acquire Trae Young.
- Hawks acquire CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
Siegel’s Latest: Pistons, Suns, Raptors, Pelicans, Thunder
Although there has been some speculation that the Pistons could try to make a major win-now move to fortify their roster ahead of the playoffs, multiple sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints that Detroit is unlikely to deal away any of its core players, a group that includes Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a little strange to see Harris, who is currently out with a hip strain, described as part of the Pistons’ “core,” considering he’s the oldest player (33) on the roster and on an expiring $26.6MM contract. But evidently the team values his contributions and veteran leadership.
According to Siegel, if Detroit’s front office — led by president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon — changes that stance, Trey Murphy III would be a player to watch. Langdon used to be New Orleans’ GM and was part of the group that drafted Murphy.
Here are a few more items of interest from Siegel’s latest rumor round-up:
- The Suns have been scouring the market for a “cheap forward upgrade,” according to Siegel, who says Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Nick Richards have all been made available in trade talks.
- Reiterating a point recently made by Marc Stein, Siegel cites sources who say the Raptors are viewed as a buyer heading into the deadline, with Domantas Sabonis, Ja Morant and Murphy among the players they’ve considered pursuing. Toronto appears willing to part with its 2026 first-round pick in search of win-now upgrades, according to Siegel, who writes that Ochai Agbaji is likely to be on the move before the deadline, and if a bigger trade is made, Immanuel Quickley may be involved.
- A recent report said the Pelicans have been rebuffing trade inquiries on forwards Murphy and Herbert Jones, among others. Rival teams think that’s due to a combination of a high asking price and being underwhelmed by opposing offers. According to Siegel, New Orleans is looking for two first-round picks for Jones and three for Murphy, plus young players. Siegel hears the Pelicans are also trying to get back into the 2026 draft after sending out their own selection last year for Derik Queen; they’ve been talking to projected playoff teams (in the 20-30 range) about that possibility.
- While the Thunder are considered unlikely to make any type of significant change to their roster prior to the deadline, it’s possible they could look to either consolidate some of their 2026 first-round picks for a more valuable selection or trade them for future draft assets, per Siegel. That may happen closer to the draft, Siegel notes. Dan Woike of The Athletic, citing sources, also hears rival teams think the Thunder will try to turn some of this year’s first-rounders — they could have as many as four — into future assets.