In the upcoming NBA season, Buzelis has a remote possibility to strengthen his trophy collection.
First-quarter action versus the Golden State Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 14, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV, USA, sees Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) yelling at a teammate. Required Credit: USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports.
The Chicago Bulls probably thought they had little chance of selecting forward Matas Buzelis in the first five to seven draft picks, especially after his G League career had been inconsistent. However, things transpired differently on draft night in 2024, with multiple hopefuls selecting ahead of Buzelis.
The Chicago native Buzelis, who played hoops as a child, was thrilled to join the Bulls at No. 11 in the rankings, much to the team’s delight. And he now becomes a part of a Chicago team that is about to undergo a complete makeover. One of the main reasons, should he start out strong, he’ll eventually have a fantastic chance at winning Rookie of the Year. The team let go of DeMar DeRozan, their finest player, this offseason and traded Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in return for Josh Giddey, a bright new point guard. Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic, and Coby White are among the team’s win-now players, but with a few more additions, the squad will be well-positioned for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Buzelis should see a lot of playing time in the upcoming season, particularly in the second half, according to the Giddey trade.
The 6-foot-9 forward might not be prepared for the first year. In the G League, he had trouble maintaining consistency on both ends, and there will be a steep learning curve in the NBA. However, Buzelis has established himself as one of the top players in his class, and with some growth in Chicago, he might discover his calling. Despite his efficiency struggles, he averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in Summer League. He also put up a number of impressive performances in strong two-way efforts. Buzelis will have the chance and appears to have the motivation for the next season, but it is unclear if he will have a ROY push in him.
