Less than two months until the NBA season begins, the league saw another trade.
On Monday afternoon, Shams Charania reported that the Atlanta Hawks were trading former first round pick Kobe Bufkin to Brooklyn in return for cash considerations.
The No. 15 overall pick from the 2023 draft class heads to the Nets after playing just 27 games for the Hawks in two seasons with the team. In December, Bufkin suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery, forcing the former Michigan standout to miss the rest of the 2024-25 season.
Despite not showing many flashes during his time in Atlanta, though, Bufkin could be the perfect fit for Brooklyn.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Bufkin averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in 2024-25, shooting 38.3% from the field and 21.1% from beyond the arc. Bufkin turned in similar stats as a rookie, but showed the potential to be a solid NBA player during his time with the Wolverines.
As a sophomore at Michigan, Bufkin averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 35.5% from 3-point range. Once he got to Atlanta, though, the former four-star recruit dealt with injuries and sat behind a solid guard rotation.
During his two years with the Hawks, Bufkin averaged just 11.9 minutes per game, never breaking into the team’s rotation. In a group that featured Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Caris LaVert, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Terance Mann, among others, Bufkin struggled to earn consistent time on the floor even when he was healthy.
Additionally, Keaton Wallace, the brother of NBA champion Cason Wallace, came on strong for the Hawks late in the season. The Hawks also added Kristaps Porzingus and a few other pieces, which should give Trae Young and company the firepower needed to compete for in the postseason.
As a result, moving on from a player who no longer fits with the team’s timeline and would likely sit on the bench puts the team in a better longterm position, especially after receiving cash in return.
For Brooklyn, adding another young player to a team that likely won’t compete for a playoff spot gives the Nets more opportunities for roster exploration. The team doesn’t lose any assets or young players, and instead is able to see if they can get the most out of a former top-15 pick.
Alongside a young group that doesn’t have much established talent, Bufkin should see much more time on the court in 2025-26, and have the ball in his hands more than he would with Atlanta.
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