Tag: Matas Buzelis

2024-25 Chicago Bulls: A quick preview

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top …

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top offensive weapon, and Alex Caruso, their defensive anchor. Although they missed the optimal window to get maximum value for both players, their trades have now positioned the team for a youth movement.

The future now centers around guard Josh Giddey, rookie forward Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and Patrick Williams. Buzelis, the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, had an impressive Summer League showing and is expected to play a significant role this season. Standing at 6-foot-8 with rare ball-handling skills for his size, Buzelis brings much-needed versatility to the Bulls, though his shooting remains a work in progress.

Despite persistent trade rumors, Zach LaVine remains on the roster, leaving questions about whether the Bulls will trade him before the season or if he still fits into their future plans. Nikola Vucevic has also failed to meet expectations in Chicago, leaving the Bulls with a depleted frontcourt. The only reinforcement heading into the season is the addition of Jalen Smith on a bargain contract.

Ron Holland, Pistons defeat former Ignite teammate Matas Buzelis, Bulls in first matchup

After playing together last season with the Ignite, Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis met as opponents for the first time in summer league.

After playing together last season with the G League Ignite, Ron Holland II and Matas Buzelis met as opponents for the first time in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Holland and the Detroit Pistons took the matchup on Tuesday.

The fifth pick produced 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal on 7-of-20 shooting from the field in the 85-77 win over Holland and the Chicago Bulls at the Thomas & Mack Center. Holland logged 31 minutes in his second appearance.

Buzelis countered with a team-high 18 points, four blocks, three rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes. The 11th pick shot 7-of-18 from the field and 1-of-6 from 3-point range.

The two players put on a show in front of those in the arena and watching on ESPN. They even matched up against each other on a few occasions throughout the contest. Afterward, they shook hands, shared a hug and had the opportunity to catch up.

Holland and Buzelis represent a key part of the future for their respective teams. They established themselves as lottery picks after strong campaigns in the G League and now figure to have high expectations entering the 2024-25 season.

The opportunity to face off in summer league was likely an exciting moment for the former teammates. That will have to suffice until they see each other in the regular season.

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Matas Buzelis: ‘I feel like I work harder than anybody in this draft class’

Chicago Bulls’ rookie Matas Buzelis generates excitement with his versatility and high basketball IQ. At 6-foot-10, he combines size, skill, and athleticism, making him a valuable addition to the Bulls’ roster. Buzelis comes from a rich basketball …

Chicago Bulls’ rookie Matas Buzelis generates excitement with his versatility and high basketball IQ. At 6-foot-10, he combines size, skill, and athleticism, making him a valuable addition to the Bulls’ roster.

Buzelis comes from a rich basketball heritage. His grandfather, Arvydas Jankauskas, was a former player and coach, and his other grandfather, Petras Buzelis, captained Zalgiris Kaunas, winning six Lithuanian League titles. His grandmother, Elena Buzeliene, is one of Lithuania’s greatest handball players, winning two European Champions Cups. His mother, Kristina Jankauskaite, stood out in Lithuanian youth basketball, while his father, Aidas Buzelis, played in the Lithuanian Basketball League and worked as a massage therapist for the National Team.

In an interview with HoopsHype, on behalf of Call of Duty Black Ops 6, Buzelis discussed his NBA journey, the pre-draft process, his basketball idols, and his goals with the Chicago Bulls.

(During the NBA Summer League in Vegas, Buzelis, rookies and vets participated in the Call of Duty Two-Minute Drill at the War Room suite. After two days, Bronny James won the $10,000 prize).

Rob Dillingham is among the second group of players invited to the draft green room

Dillingham conducted his required combine testing on Friday, clearing the way for him to become eligible to be selected in the draft.

Former Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham reportedly conducted his required combine testing, clearing the way for him to become eligible to be selected in the 2024 NBA draft.

Dillingham wasn’t able to participate in on-court testing last month at the combine because of an ankle injury. He was cleared this week from the injury and completed the requirements in front of teams on Friday at the Los Angeles Lakers‘ practice facility.

The 19-year-old was among the second group of prospects who received invitations from the NBA to attend the draft in the green room on June 26-27 at the Barlcays Center in Brooklyn, New York, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Teams with first-round picks each year vote on the players they believe will be drafted early, typically the top 20-25 prospects. Last year, 25 prospects were invited to the green room and only one wasn’t selected in the first round (Rayan Rupert, 43rd overall pick).

Included in the second batch of invitations were Serbian guard Nikola Topić, Duke players Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski, Miami forward Kyshawn George, USC guard Isaiah Collier, Baylor center Yves Missi and Kansas forward Johnny Furphy.

The first group of players invited to the green room included French players Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr and Tidjane Salaün; UConn players Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle; G League Ignite players Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland; and Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard.

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Are the Chicago Bulls trying to move up in the 2024 NBA draft to take Matas Buzelis?

Is this really a prospect that the Bulls will want to burn assets on to acquire?

There is buzz out there that the Chicago Bulls are trying to make a deal, Bulls fans. But don’t get too excited — not for an NBA player, as fans have been begging Arturas Karnisovas to do for literally years now, but to move up in the 2024 NBA draft.

Are the Bulls trying to move up to take Matas Buzelis? A 6-foot-10 string bean of a small forward weighing just 197 lbs., Buzelis last played in the G League, and is known for his shot-blocking abilities. He could really step up his 3-point shooting ability at the next level, with his going just 26.1% from beyond the arc, however.

Is this really a prospect that the Bulls will want to burn assets on to acquire?

Check out a clip recently put together by the folks behind the “Bulls Central” YouTube channel to get up to speed on what you need to know about him, which we embedded above for your viewing pleasure.

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Givony: Bulls willing to explore moving up in draft to target Matas Buzelis

Buzelis is projected to be a top-10 pick in the NBA draft and is reportedly drawing interest from several teams.

Matas Buzelis is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA draft and is reportedly drawing interest from several teams positioned at the top of the board.

One of those teams is the Chicago Bulls.

They have reportedly shown an interest in potentially moving up from No. 11 to have the opportunity to take Buzelis, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. They have kept up with him throughout the predraft process and could target him.

Sources say Buzelis’ hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, watched him work out privately in Los Angeles early in the pre-draft process. Chicago has shown a willingness to explore moving up in the draft for the right price. The Bulls’ Lithuanian president, Arturas Karnisovas, has extensive knowledge of Buzelis, who is also Lithuanian.

Buzelis averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.9 blocks and one steal on 45.3% shooting from the field in 34 games with the G League Ignite. He produced seven 20-point games, including a season-high 25 points on Dec. 14 in a win over the Rip City Remix.

The 6-foot-10 forward has a great blend of size and ballhandling skills. He can seemingly get into the paint at ease by breaking down his defender at the point of attack with his dribble moves. He also excelled in knocking down shots from the midrange.

Buzelis has the positional size teams covet at the next level and will likely be in high demand. He is most commonly linked to the Detroit Pistons at No. 5, so the Bulls, or any other team wanting a shot at him, may have to create an attractive trade package to move up.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Third mock draft has Bulls taking Matas Buzelis with No. 11 pick

Another mock draft has the Chicago Bulls taking Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick.

The Chicago Bulls have the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Adding some fresh young talent to the roster will be a crucial part of their summer. In his third straight mock draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report mocked G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis to the Bulls at pick No. 11.

“Teams will consider Matas Buzelis earlier than No. 11. At 6’9″ in socks, his scoring versatility and defensive playmaking flashes create a coveted archetype,” Wasserman wrote. “But at this stage, the idea of Buzelis remains more enticing than the results. The results and feelings on the 19-year-old wing continue to be mixed.

“Workouts will be extra important for Buzelis, who came to Ignite with expectations of being a solid shooter but finished at 26.1 percent from three.”

Buzelis had a relatively rough year with the Ignite this past season, but there is still a clear pathway forward for him to be a great NBA player.

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Recent NBA mock draft has Spurs taking Matas Buzelis with pick No. 4

A recent NBA mock draft sees the San Antonio Spurs take Matas Buzelis with the fourth pick.

The San Antonio Spurs have two top-10 picks in this year’s draft, providing them with a great opportunity to add young talent to the roster. If they nail their selections, they could greatly improve Victor Wembanyama’s chances of winning. Matt Rooney of Bleacher Nation has the Spurs selecting Matas Buzelis with the fourth pick in his latest mock draft.

“If Risacher doesn’t fall to the Spurs, Buzelis would be a very nice option for them,” Rooney wrote. “He has a similar skillset and can do a little bit of everything. The length the Spurs would have on the floor between him and Wemby could create a lot of problems for opposing teams. He is versatile on offense, though his ball handling could be more consistent. Defensively, he’s capable of guarding multiple positions. He won’t be a top option offensively early in his career, but his catch-and-shoot ability gives him quite the upside.

“Plus, giving Gregg Popovich the chance to develop Buzelis seems like a great fit.”

Buzelis seems like a bit of a project, but as Rooney mentioned, that could make San Antonio a solid fit for him.

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Second NBA mock draft has Bulls picking Matas Buzelis at pick No. 11

Another NBA mock draft has the Chicago Bulls taking Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick.

The Chicago Bulls’ selection with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft could have serious implications regarding their future. They need to nail it. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report recently projected them to take Matas Buzelis, but before that, No Ceilings had them doing the same.

“One of the great mysteries of the 2024 NBA offseason will be what the Chicago Bulls do with their roster,” No Ceilings wrote. “The Bulls were a strange team to watch all season long. They were never as bad as some people made them out to be, nor were they ever as good as others made them out to be. With star players missing big chunks of the season due to injury, the Bulls relied heavily on Demar DeRozan and Coby White to carry the team for most of the year. Now, how does Matas Buzelis fit with all of this? The idea of Buzelis is a ton of fun. The issue with Buzelis is that most of his game is theoretical.

“For everyone claiming he’s a good shooter, he was not a good shooter playing for the G League Ignite this season. He’s never had a ton of scoring punch off the dribble, isn’t a big-time athlete, and needs to add strength and awareness on the defensive side of the ball. Buzelis makes sense at this point in the draft because of the lotto ticket that his future presents. Buzelis is gigantic, and he has some passing feel to him. If the jumper ever comes around, he could be dangerous as a perimeter gravity guy. Once again, the issue is that he hasn’t shown much of that up to this point. The Bulls, with all of their question marks, could look to Buzelis as a long-term building block of the future whenever they decide to move on from their current crop of vets.”

Can the Bulls afford to take a chance on Buzelis? Or should they go with a safer option?

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Mock sees Bulls select Matas Buzelis with 11th pick in 2024 NBA Draft

Could the Chicago Bulls look to select Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?

The Chicago Bulls landed the 11th pick in the draft lottery, which is the selection they were projected to have. It will give them a chance to add a new young piece to their core. A recent mock draft written by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has Chicago selecting Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick.

“On one hand, scouts are drawn to Matas Buzelis’ scoring versatility and defensive playmaking flashes,” Wasserman wrote. “On the other, he still doesn’t have one skill NBA teams can bank on translating. He did measure near 6’9″ in socks at the combine, but his wingspan also came in at just 6’10”. The results and feelings on the 19-year-old wing continue to be mixed. Workouts will be extra important for Buzelis, who came to Ignite with expectations of being a solid shooter but finished at 26.1 percent from three.”

As noted by Wasserman, Buzelis’ shooting was a bit disappointing during his time with the G League Ignite, but his measurements alone make him an intriguing choice.

For the Bulls, taking a chance on a relatively high-upside guy like Buzelis makes a ton of sense.

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