JJ Redick Reveals Why Lakers Signed Kobe Bufkin

After the NBA trade deadline came and went last week, with the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring sharpshooter Luke Kennard, there was some speculation brewing about the team targeting some players on the buyout market to fill Los Angeles' 15th and final roster spot.

The Lakers were linked to Cam Thomas, formerly of the Brooklyn Nets, who ultimately signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, and former Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith. Even though the team was rumored to be interested in signing one of these veterans, the Lakers chose to fill their final roster spot with guard Kobe Bufkin, who inked a two-year deal with the team over the weekend.

JJ Redick Not a Fan of NBA Buyout Market

JJ Redick Los Angeles Lakers — Jan 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick directs his team against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Ahead of Monday's game against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Redick explained the rationale for signing Bufkin rather than bringing in a player from the buyout market, such as Thomas or Highsmith.

"There's a lot of factors that go into that," Redick said of the Bufkin signing. "The buyout market. I'll just be frank, because I did this when I was working in media, it very rarely produces a player that impacts a team's playoff chances. It just very rarely does.

"The second part of that is that there's you got to make sure the guys, if you're going to get a buyout player, you got to make sure that guy's healthy, that guy's ready to play. Kobe has certainly earned a spot in the NBA with the way he's played this year for us in South Bay. There's also factors of are we going to be able to keep him in our program?

"So there's a lot that went into it. We feel really happy that we we got him on the roster."

Bufkin Made an Impression With South Bay Lakers

ICYMI 🌊 Kobe was ON one tonight‼️#SBLakers pic.twitter.com/ngNeSwuo8R
— South Bay Lakers (@SouthBayLakers) February 5, 2026

Redick also explained how much Bufkin has improved during his time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, especially on defense, which is something the parent club needs during the final stretch of the 2025-26 campaign.

"I think the thing that Zach (Guthrie) has really challenged him on this year and he's gotten better on is just his defensive activity and engagement," Redick said of Bufkin. "I think he's got the positional size to be a plus defender and obviously his ability to shoot the ball consistently, particularly on our team, would provide great value."

Bufkin put up some monster numbers with South Bay, averaging 26.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 43.1 percent from three-point range and 89.8 percent from the charity stripe.