The Los Angeles Lakers enjoyed a successful Summer League campaign, reaching the semifinals in Las Vegas before falling to eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
Los Angeles went an impressive 8-2 across the California Classic and Las Vegas, powered by recent draft picks Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero, along with returning G League standouts Chris Manon and Arthur Kaluma, who are both signed to two-way contracts.
However, several key contributors from last season’s South Bay Lakers roster spent the summer playing elsewhere, potentially setting the stage for a number of G League trades before the 2026-27 season begins.
While those players are free to pursue opportunities with other NBA organizations, the Lakers still control their returning G League rights.
That means if they sign with another organization’s G League affiliate, their new team would first need to acquire those rights from the Lakers, a routine transaction that regularly takes place around the league.
Lakers Could Be Involved in Multiple G League Trades
One of the most notable names is Kobe Bufkin, who joined the New Orleans Pelicans for Summer League after emerging as one of South Bay’s best players last season.
The 22-year-old appeared in three games for New Orleans in Las Vegas, averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 block while shooting 45.2 % from the field and 31.8% from three-point range.
Bufkin has since landed a one-year contract with the Pelicans. However, the agreement is a training camp deal rather than a guaranteed NBA contract.
He will compete for the final spot on New Orleans’ regular-season roster, while a two-way contract could provide another avenue to remain with the organization.
Should neither materialize and Bufkin instead joins the Birmingham Squadron in the G League, New Orleans would need to acquire his returning rights from the Lakers.
Former South Bay standout RJ Davis finds himself in a similar position after joining the San Antonio Spurs‘ Summer League roster.
Across eight appearances spanning the California Classic and Las Vegas, Davis averaged 12.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 37% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc.
The second-year guard experienced some inconsistency, but remains an intriguing two-way prospect, particularly at the G League level.
Davis was one of South Bay’s most productive players last season, averaging 18.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.3 combined steals and blocks across 49 appearances.
He also shot an efficient 46.9% from the field and an outstanding 42.4% from three-point range.
Former South Bay Standouts Assessing Next Opportunities
Malik Williams was another former South Bay contributor to represent a different organization this summer, joining the Chicago Bulls in Las Vegas.
The 27-year-old center averaged 3.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across five Summer League appearances.
Elsewhere, former Lakers center Kylor Kelley was named to the Utah Jazz’s roster in Las Vegas. He was limited to just two games due to a calf injury.
Kelley departed the Lakers organization in February after agreeing to a buyout that allowed him to pursue an opportunity overseas in the Philippines.
Before his departure, the seven-footer had become a fixture in South Bay’s frontcourt, making more than 60 appearances across two seasons.
Of the group, Bufkin appears best positioned to secure a full NBA opportunity. However, beginning the season with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate remains a possibility depending on how his training camp battle unfolds.
Davis, Williams, and Kelley could also explore a range of opportunities, including potentially more lucrative contracts overseas.
However, if any ultimately land with the G League affiliate of the NBA team they represented during Summer League, the Lakers would find themselves at the center of further offseason trade discussions.
Those deals would likely be relatively minor transactions involving returning player rights rather than significant assets, but they underline the amount of talent that has passed through the Lakers’ developmental system.
While several important pieces from last season could now officially move on, Los Angeles appears ready to turn the page. The newly rebranded Coachella Valley Lakers are set to be reshaped around a fresh wave of developmental talent, with the organization hoping to uncover its next hidden gem.
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