The Chicago Bulls are in a desperate search for answers on the offensive end of the floor. Chicago is 1-7 through eight games, looks disjointed on even their best nights when they have the ball, and are among the worst offensive teams in the NBA. That's made Matas Buzelis' passive tendencies difficult to understand.
Buzelis has proven himself as a quality volume scorer in the NBA, but in 2026-27, it's been more likely to see him pass up shots than assert himself at a time when the Bulls need him to throw caution to the wind.
Through eight games, the Bulls rank No. 28 in the NBA in offensive rating at 105.9. Chicago is also No. 17 in points in the paint, No. 22 in three-point field goals made, No. 29 in field goal percentage, and dead last in three-point field goal percentage.
To put it as plainly as possible: The Bulls are an awful offensive team that has no reason to tell a talented player like Buzelis to be reluctant to shoot.
That also puts the burden on Buzelis, however, as a third-year player who has showcased the ability to score with volume and relative efficiency. No one is asking him to single-handedly save the Bulls' season, but the last thing this woeful team needs is for him to be passive on offense.
Chicago clearly needs to build a sustainable approach to offensive execution around rookie and franchise player Caleb Wilson, but Buzelis shouldn't be afraid to let his shots fly.
Matas Buzelis is too passive on offense when the Bulls need volume
Buzelis finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 16.3 points per game and 20.0 points per 36 minutes on .463/.349/.786 shooting. He averaged 15.4 field goal attempts and 7.9 three-point field goal attempts per 36.
Unfortunately, thus far in 2026-27, he's averaging 12.9 points per game and 18.4 points, 13.6 field goal attempts, and 6.6 threes per 36 minutes.
Buzelis has done an excellent job of getting to the free throw line at 6.8 attempts per 36 minutes—3.0 more than he managed in 2025-26. He's still passing up open looks, however, and is remaining quiet at times when the Bulls' offense is stalling.
Rather than simply getting his offense within the flow of the game, the Bulls need Buzelis to prove that he can put points on the board when his teammates are struggling to do so themselves.
It's a characteristic he began to display in 2025-26, but is thus far struggling to muster in 2026-27. It also doesn't help that he's been woefully inefficient at a clip of .408/.270/.816. Though he's wise to trust his teammates when he's struggling, he must also find a way to play his way through the slump he's in without compromising his assertive mentality.
The Bulls won't fix the offense with just one player stepping up, but Buzelis proving unwilling to be deterred by the team's struggles and his own uphill battle would go a long way toward salvaging this nearly lost season.
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