Hawks Shock Fans by Shipping Kobe Bufkin to Nets in Mysterious Cash Deal—What’s the Real Story?

Kobe Bufkin’s journey through the NBA has been a rollercoaster, playing a mere 27 games over two seasons due to stints in the G-League and nagging injuries. Yet, his explosive Summer League performance in Las Vegas this past July — highlighted by a 29-point barrage against the Heat, including a jaw-dropping 17 points in the fourth quarter to spark a comeback — hinted at untapped potential as a savvy pick-and-roll point guard. It’s that glimmer of promise that convinced the Brooklyn Nets to roll the dice on him. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are offloading Bufkin in exchange for cash considerations, a savvy salary dump that eases their luxury tax burden and cap constraints while creating new trade flexibility. For the Nets, this move isn’t just about minutes or stats—it’s a calculated gamble reminiscent of GM Sean Marks’ early rebuild days, betting on a talented but flawed player whose ceiling might just be higher than others anticipate. Whether Bufkin evolves into that electrifying playmaker or remains a work in progress, this is exactly the kind of risk the Nets need as they navigate their current rebuild phase. LEARN MORE

Kobe Bufkin has played in just 27 NBA games across two seasons — because of time in the G-League and injuries — but at Summer League in Las Vegas this July he showed some potential as a point guard who could run the pick-and-roll, like during his 29-point outing against the Heat (17 in the fourth quarter to spark a comeback win).

That was enough to get the Nets to take a chance on him.

Atlanta is trading Bufkin to Brooklyn for cash considerations, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.

For Atlanta, this is a salary dump. The Hawks save Bufkin’s $4.5 million salary, putting them $7.7 million below the luxury tax line and $15.4 million below the first apron, where they are hard-capped (plus they create a trade exception they can use for the next year). For the Nets, this move puts them above the league’s salary floor, but they still have $11.4 million in cap space to facilitate trades.

The Nets also get a one-year roll of the dice on Bufkin, to see if he is the point guard who was putting up so many points in Las Vegas, or if he is more the guy who was committing turnovers and not shooting consistently while he was doing so. This is the kind of move Nets GM Sean Marks made a lot during his first rebuild, taking a shot on a flawed player with potential to see if other teams have given up too quickly. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s a risk worth taking for the Nets, who are in the middle of another rebuild.