Hawks' Bufkin to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery
Atlanta Hawks guard Kobe Bufkin needs surgery to address instability in his right shoulder and will miss the rest of the season, the team announced Wednesday.
Bufkin's surgery is scheduled for January, and he is expected to be ready for the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign.
He partially dislocated his right shoulder during a practice before the start of the season and missed the opening 14 games. The Michigan product was able to return to action but didn't see the court in Atlanta's last two games.
Bufkin couldn't participate in 2024 Summer League due to a similar shoulder injury.
The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft has struggled to make an impact, only appearing in 27 NBA games. The second-year pro was averaging 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in his 10 games this season.
Atlanta exercised Bufkin's third-year rookie option at the end of October.
The Hawks are 14-13 and made a run to the semifinals of the NBA Cup, losing to eventual champions the Milwaukee Bucks.
Atlanta plays the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday night.