The 2025 NBA Summer League is underway as all 30 franchises prepare to assess their young players vying to compete for a regular-season roster spot. The Atlanta Hawks opened their summer slate in a big way, notching a 105-98 victory over the Miami Heat at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV on Friday night.
Several young Hawks played well in the victory, including one guard who may have just saved his job with a difference-making performance.
Hawks G Kobe Bufkin May Have Played Himself Off Trade Block with Performance vs. Clippers
Kobe Bufkin is one Hawks player who's found himself involved in trade rumors this offseason. The former Michigan Wolverine hasn't met expectations since being drafted 15th overall in 2023, leaving Atlanta fans to wonder how much of a future he has left with the franchise.
Well, it turns out Friday's performance may have saved Bufkin from a summertime trade. The Grand Rapids, MI native was easily the Hawks' best player of the night, recording a game-high 29 points while playing 26 minutes. He only shot 6-of-16 (37.5%) from the field and 2-of-9 (22.2%) from deep; however, his going a perfect 15-of-15 from the charity stripe was all Atlanta needed to win.
Whether or not Bufkin can build off his standout showing remains to be seen. He has three more scheduled Summer League games, as well as a fifth one that's yet to be announced, to prove himself, leaving time to tell if he's up to the test.
Since being a first-round selection, Bufkin has suited up in only 27 regular-season games for the Hawks. He averaged 5.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists with .374/.220/.654 shooting splits while playing 11.9 minutes per night, highlighting his need to do a better job of capitalizing on his minutes.
Hopefully, Friday's outing is a sign of things to come for Bufkin. The Hawks roster already looks stronger than last year following general manager Onsi Saleh's offseason moves, and the squad's outlook would be even brighter if Bufkin finally plays to his potential.