NBA: Hawks’ Kobe Bufkin to have season-ending surgery

FILE– Kobe Bufkin #4 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half of an NBA game on November 27, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.– Jason Miller/Getty Images/AFP 

ATLANTA– Atlanta Hawks backup guard Kobe Bufkin will undergo surgery to deal with lingering shoulder issues, knocking him out for the rest of the season.

The Hawks announced Wednesday that Bufkin will undergo surgery to address right shoulder instability on Jan. 7. The second-year player is expected to make a full recovery before next season.

READ: NBA: Kobe Bufkin partially dislocates right shoulder for 2nd time

Bufkin, who was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft, has been plagued by shoulder problems during his brief NBA career.

After partially dislocating his right shoulder, Bufkin was unable to take part in the Summer League after his rookie campaign. He re-injured the same shoulder during a practice ahead of this season’s opener and played in just 10 games before the Hawks decided to shut him down, having last played on Dec. 8.

The Hawks were planning to use Bufkin as the backup point guard behind Trae Young. Instead, Vit Krejci and Dyson Daniels have been handling those duties when Young is off the court.

READ: Kobe’s legacy in the NBA lives on in a new way.

The Hawks also announced center Onyeka Okongwu is expected to miss four games with inflammation in his left knee. Okongwu will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.

In another move, the Hawks requested waivers on two-way swingman Seth Lundy, who appeared in nine games for Atlanta last season.