According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers have signed Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal. This contract does include a team option for the 2026-27 season.

During his time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers this season, the 22-year-old shooting guard averaged 24.7 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Bufkin has spent three years in the NBA, playing a total of 31 games. In those 31 games, he has averaged 4.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.

Since entering the league in 2023 as the 15th overall pick, Bufkin has spent his career with the Atlanta Hawks (27 games) and the Lakers (four games).

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers have traded Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luka Kennard.

Both players will be free agents this upcoming offseason. Kennard is making $11 million this season, as Vincent is making $11.5 million.

In 46 games this season, Kennard is averaging 7.9 points on 49.7% percent three-point shooting.

In 29 games this season, Vincent is averaging 4.8 points on 34.6% from the field.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Los Angeles Lakers have learned that their third option has suffered a grade 2 gastrocnemius calf strain and will be sidelined for four weeks. The 27-year-old will be re-evaluated after that period of time.

Reaves suffered the injury during the Lakers loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day. Before being ruled out for the remainder of the game, he put up 12 points off 5/8 shooting in 15 minutes.

While this MRI is a definite negative, the bright side of this scan confirms that this has nothing to do with the mild calf strain that caused him to miss three games earlier in the month.

Right now, the Lakers are 19-10 and hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference.