Matas Buzelis Might Have Ways To Go, But Energy Isn't Lacking

The 19-year-old Bulls forward is attacking the rim whenever he has a chance, and that's a good thing.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shouts at a teammate while playing against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

When the 6-foot-10 Matas Buzelis slipped to No. 11 in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls stood ready to brace his fall. The match made sense, in more ways than one. Buzelis was born in Chicago, and has Lithuanian parents. His new boss, Bulls Team President Arturas Karnišovas, is Lithuanian.

From a basketball perspective, the fit was a bit more of a question mark. The Bulls have suffered through years of spacing issues, and Buzelis doesn't exactly project to solve those anytime soon.

He was also joining a team that, at the time, was rumored to keep DeMar DeRozan, and Patrick Williams.

Chicago did keep Williams, but DeRozan ended up in Sacramento, which then cleared the way for Buzelis to carve out a real role for his childhood team. 

The fit is still wonky, especially as the Bulls will roll out Josh Giddey, another non-shooter, in the starting lineup. This means growing pains. But what Buzelis will offer is something the Bulls have also lacked for years: An utter sense of fearlessness.

The 19-year-old plays with reckless abandon, attacking the basket like it somehow wronged him in a former life. Whatever stands between him and the rim, he'll forcefully take on, no matter the physical advantage a defender has on him. This will, unquestionably, lead to a of ton of free throws, even during his rookie season. He'll bring down the house with thunderous dunks, and more than likely fall on his butt when a real NBA center blocks his shot.

That last part won't last in his memory bank for long, though. Buzelis simply isn't wired that way.

Remember in "The Avengers", when Captain America says "Stark, we need a plan of attack", to which Tony Stark answers "I have a plan. Attack"?

Buzelis is Stark in that exchange. Eventually, down the line, he'll learn the ropes and become more strategic like a certain Steve Rogers, but as of right now, he'll play a brand of crazy basketball that the Bulls are sorely in need of.

Chicago is seemingly rebuilding, and finally so. That means they will go through a small handful of losing seasons over the next few years, leaving fans potentially bored or impatient.

With Buzelis trying to dunk on everyone, taking no prisoners in the process, the Bulls will at the very least be exciting, and offer up a spectacle.

What the rookie's real impact will be from day one is severely difficult to project. You can pencil in energy, athleticism, shot-blocking, dunking, and quality rebounding. Outside of that, it's anyone's guess. 

Will he be able to at least knock down mid-range shots, or does that come later?

Will his ball-handling translate, or will he function more as a play finisher?

Will his playmaking show signs in Year 2, or won't we see that until he's a few years in?

More than likely, we'll be looking at a mixed bag this season. That's fine when you consider the quality of the draft, and the fact that he was a late lottery pick. You have time to be patient. The Bulls should be in no rush to accelerate anything.

Buzelis probably isn't going to start before the Bulls have traded Zach LaVine. Giddey, Coby White, and LaVine himself are most likely starting 1-through-3, with Williams and Nikola Vučević taking the final two spots. 

Truthfully, that might be the best start to Buzelis' career. He'll have a role that outright allows him to come off the bench, play like a maniac for a few minutes, and then gets to sit back down.

If nothing else, that's total freedom, even if it won't be 25+ minutes per night. That comes later.

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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