The Nets have acquired guard Kobe Bufkin from the Atlanta Hawks for money concerns, in keeping with ESPN’s Shams Charania. Earlier Monday, Brooklyn additionally reportedly signed heart David Muoka, a former member of its G League affiliate on Lengthy Island, to a non-guaranteed contract.
Bufkin, the fifteenth decide within the 2023 draft out of Michigan, has seen his first two seasons derailed by accidents — a fractured thumb, a sprained toe and recurring shoulder bother. The 6-4, 195-pound guard performed solely 27 video games for Atlanta, averaging 5.0 factors, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists whereas capturing 38.3% from the sector, 21.1% from 3-point vary and 72.2% on the free throw line.
By sending Bufkin to Brooklyn with out taking again wage, the Hawks generated a $4.5 million commerce exception, in keeping with Spotrac’s Keith Smith. The transfer leaves Atlanta $7.7 million under the luxury-tax line and $15.8 million underneath the first-apron onerous cap, creating flexibility to barter extensions with Dyson Daniels and Kristaps Porzingis.
Bufkin, 21, is owed $4.3 million this season with a $6.9 million group choice for 2025-26. The Nets, with 15 gamers on assured contracts and 4 extra on partial or non-guaranteed offers, nonetheless undertaking to have about $11.6 million in cap area and, for now, sit above the minimal wage flooring, in keeping with ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
“The minimum floor number is fluid since Brooklyn has 4 players on partial/non-guaranteed contracts, and they have to reduce their roster to 15 by the start of the season,” Marks wrote.
As with Ziaire Williams final season, Brooklyn has taken a flyer on one other former lottery-caliber prospect at little value and with no obligation past this yr. It has till Oct. 31 to select up Bufkin’s group choice for 2026-27.
Muoka, a 6-10, 235-pound heart from Hong Kong, spent final season with the Windy Metropolis Bulls, averaging 11.6 factors and 9.9 rebounds. He beforehand appeared in 38 video games for the Lengthy Island Nets in 2023-24, posting 4.6 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.7 minutes an evening. The UNLV product went undrafted in 2022.
