There is a lot of buzz about Matas Buzelis and his debut at the NBA Summer League this past week. A refreshing bit of good news as many people are quick to point the Bulls may have gotten a steal with the #11 pick in the 2024 draft.
He is more NBA ready than expected, but his ability to make an immediate impact is not as clear. Here is a in-depth look at Buzelis' strengths, areas of improvements and projections for the upcoming season.
Matas Buzelis Summer League Stats
5 Games - 16.8 PPG - 33.7 FG% - 21.4 3F% - 5.4 FTA - 4.2 REB - 0.8 AST - 2.0 STL - 2.0 BLK
Strengths
Buzelis is a unique athlete. At 6-foot-10, he has great positional size and runs the floor like a gazelle. He has bounce in his step as he likes to attack and finish above the rim. Buzelis is dynamic, plays with a high motor. He has confidence in himself, which will be a nice change of pace from the Patrick Williams development. The eye test feels like Buzelis might have “it”.
He is a 3-level (can score from three, mid-range and at the rim) scorer, which is hard to find in the NBA. He has the ability to create space off the bounce and is comfortable with both hands. He attacks the rim aggressively and has multiple highlight reel dunks already. He prefers to finish with his right, but is competent with his left. He also can be crafty on his drives, which led to him going to the foul line at a healthy clip, which could be a big part of his game moving forward. He believes in his shot and is able to get to his shot with relatively ease. His shot is quick enough for his size and the release looked good for a first year player even though he did not shoot it particularly well in Summer League.
His length is his best attribute defensively. He should be able to use it when going against quicker players. He can be a feisty on ball defender that fought over pick n’ rolls. He is engaged and moving with the pass. He did show signs of being a difference maker on the defensive end as he averaged two steals and two blocks in his five games in Vegas.
Areas for Improvement
Strength would be the the first noticeable area of improvement. Buzelis is not fragile, but could easily stand to put on 20 pounds to his slender frame. He is able to be bumped off his drives and pushed off his spots.
Offensively, consistency with his shot at all three levels will be key. In five games, his shot was inconsistent, but for the most part they were quality shots that he can make. If Buzelis can be 50 percent from 2-point and 35 percent from 3-point, then he will make an immediate impact for the Bulls. Eventually, he will want to develop a post-up game. At 6-10, he should have favorable matchups, but that also will come when he adds more strength.
The biggest question mark is his ability to see the floor after only have four assists in five games. With that said, Summer League is a time for a bunch of dudes hoping to get a NBA contract trying to prove themselves. There is not a lot of ball movement once the ball crosses half court. He played with an aggressive mindset, which was great to see, but when he plays with more skilled players his ability to move the ball on time and accurately will be imperative.
Defensively is where Buzelis needs the most work before he becomes a rotational player for an NBA team. He understands defense as he moves with each pass and is in the right position (generally). He lacks aggressiveness to make the plays on this end. In part this is due to him being straight legged when off the ball. He does not rebound out of his area and does not give multiple efforts consistently. He is a below average defender for NBA standards, but has the potential to be league average or better.
2023-24 Projection
If the Chicago Bulls lean into the youth movement, I would expect Buzelis to score 12-15 points a game this upcoming season. It is not as clear as if he can impact the game in multiple facets or just scoring out of the gates. He does have considerable upside and the fact he might be a starter or a key player off the bench bodes well for the Bulls and their future. The intangibles will be key in his development. If he can focus on defense and rebounds the ball at a high level, then you could see him garner attention for Rookie of the Year.
Player Comparison - Brandon Ingram