Grizzlies granted hardship, signing Kobe Bufkin to 10-day

The Grizzlies finally caught a break from the league office, and they’re using it to bring in backcourt help.

Memphis has received a hardship exception and will sign guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Bufkin was the No. 15 pick in 2023 but never found traction in Atlanta thanks to a string of injuries. They included a fractured thumb and sprained toe as a rookie, then season-ending shoulder surgery last December.

He appeared in only 27 games for the Hawks before being shipped to Brooklyn over the summer.

The Nets liked him until they ran out of roster spots and waived him before opening night.

After landing in the G League, Bufkin flashed some of the skills that made him a mid-first-round pick.

With South Bay, he averaged 22 points, 6.5 boards and strong shooting in two Tip-Off Tournament games.

That was enough to keep him on Memphis’ radar, according to NBA reporter Grant Afseth, and the Grizzlies finally got the roster flexibility to make a move.

And they needed it. Memphis is down four point guards — Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Javon Small — plus big man Brandon Clarke, who is still working his way back from knee surgery.