Kobe Bufkin Turns Impressive Summer League to Big Pelicans Opportunity

The New Orleans Pelicans have signed former first-round pick Kobe Bufkin to a training camp contract. HoopsHype's Mike Scotto revealed the news via social media on Saturday that the 22-year-old guard agreed to a one-year deal with the Pelicans. The move comes after Bufkin turned heads with his Summer League play in Las Vegas.

The New Orleans Pelicans and Kobe Bufkin have agreed to a one-year deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Bufkin was the 15th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. He’s spent the past three seasons with the Hawks and Lakers. He averaged 21.3 points in Summer League with the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/8pLLuQjHhi
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 25, 2026

Kobe Bufkin Will Have a Chance to Compete for a Roster Spot

His summer highlight came during his New Orleans debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he exploded for 30 points and six rebounds while shooting 8-for-16 from the field and 5-for-9 from beyond the arc.

During his three games in Vegas, Bufkin averaged 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game.

The former Michigan standout was the No. 15 overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2023 NBA Draft. Injuries were the story early in his career, as he played in just 27 games over the first two years of his career. Atlanta subsequently traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in 2025 before he was waived before the start of the season.

Bufkin found some success in the G League last year, earning All-NBA Second Team G League honors after averaging 25.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals. The Los Angeles Lakers signed Bufkin for the remainder of the year, and he appeared in 16 games down the stretch.

New Orleans has one open roster spot remaining and one two-way player contract available. The Pelicans need outside shooting, and while Bufkin has shown an ability to score, he’s been a below-average outside shooter for the first few years in the league.

Through three seasons, Bufkin is shooting just 21% from beyond the arc after shooting 35% from deep in his final season at Michigan. The two steals he averaged during Summer League are a welcoming sign of the potential impact he could have on the opposite end of the court.

KOBE BUFKIN.

back-to-back 4-pt plays 😳 pic.twitter.com/B5eTV09sri
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) July 9, 2026

The news of Bufkin’s signing continues a slow summer of transactions for the Pelicans. Besides his signing, New Orleans re-signed veteran center DeAndre Jordan and drafted hometown player Jaron Pierre Jr. in the second round of this year’s draft.

Pelicans fans looking for a major overhaul after back-to-back sub-30-win seasons have not gotten anything close to what they hoped for. The front office seems content to run it back with the core nucleus from last season and hope a new coaching staff, coupled with better health, will yield better results than the last two years.

There have been numerous rumors about players like Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Jordan Hawkins. No deals have been made to date, with the offseason dwindling. Training camp will be a great opportunity for Bufkin to prove his worth and hope to either gain a main roster spot or a two-way deal.

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