The Los Angeles Lakers are sitting at 32-20, clinging to the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference. With the playoff race heating up, there’s been plenty of chatter around the league about whether a smart addition from the buyout market could give them the boost they need to climb even higher.
But head coach JJ Redick isn’t buying the hype.
When asked about the possibility of adding a veteran piece to bolster a roster led by LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Austin Reaves, Redick didn’t mince words. Drawing from his own time in the media, the second-year coach expressed serious doubt about the impact of buyout signings.
“There’s a lot of factors that go into the buyout market,” Redick said Monday. “I’ll just be frank, I know this 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.”
Redick’s skepticism is grounded in reality. The buyout market is often more about hope than help - a pool of aging vets chasing one last shot at a ring or players with injury histories trying to prove they still belong. It’s rare to find someone who can step in and immediately contribute meaningful minutes on a contending team.
Take Lonzo Ball, for example. The former No. 2 overall pick by the Lakers in 2017 is technically available, but given his injury history and long road back, there’s little reason to believe a reunion is on the table - or that it would shift the needle if it were.
Instead of looking outward, the Lakers may already have an internal solution in Kobe Bufkin.
The 22-year-old guard had his two-way contract converted to a standard two-year deal, and Redick made it clear that Bufkin earned it.
“Kobe certainly earned a spot in the NBA with the way he’s played this year for us in South Bay,” Redick said. “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’s development in the G League has been eye-opening. In 14 regular-season games with the South Bay Lakers, the former No. 15 pick in the 2023 draft averaged 27.7 points on a scorching 75.0% true shooting percentage.
He also chipped in 4.7 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game - all while contributing 0.5 defensive win shares. That’s not just solid production - that’s the kind of all-around impact that forces a front office to take notice.
The Lakers, who already boast the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Smart, could certainly use another versatile perimeter piece. Dončić has been everything they hoped for offensively, but the team still needs more help guarding the perimeter, especially in high-leverage playoff matchups. Bufkin’s size, defensive instincts, and shooting touch might be just what the Lakers need - not just to patch holes, but to thrive in the postseason.
Whether Bufkin is ready for that kind of stage is still an open question. But the upside is real. And for a Lakers team trying to maximize what could be one of LeBron’s final playoff runs, internal development might prove more valuable than any name floating around the buyout rumor mill.
In a league where teams are constantly searching for the next big move, the Lakers might have already made theirs - and it didn’t require a trade, a buyout, or a headline. It just took a young guard putting in the work and making the most of his opportunity.