Bulls forward Matas Buzelis will make his debut with the Lithuanian national team this summer, according to BasketNews.
Lithuania has a pair of qualifying games for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in early July. The team will face Great Britain on July 2 and Italy on July 5.
While the 21-year-old said he’d like to play for Lithuania during the second qualifying window in August, his availability for those contests is up in the air.
“For now, I’m still not sure whether I will play in the second window,” Buzelis said, per BasketNews. “I like to finish what I start, but the Bulls will make the decision. We’ll see, but as I said, I like to finish what I start.”
Here’s more from around the Central Division:
- Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was in Venice, Italy this week to watch draft-and-stash prospect Saliou Niang compete in the semifinals of the Lega Basket Serie A playoffs, writes Iacopo De Santis of PianetaBasket.com. Cleveland selected Niang with the 58th overall pick in the 2025 draft. The 22-year-old forward has spent the 2025/26 season with Virtus Bologna, which is currently facing a 2-1 deficit in its playoff series vs. Reyer Venizia. Niang averaged 7.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 21.7 minutes per game across 38 EuroLeague appearances this season.
- Indianapolis native CJ Gunn, who completed his senior season with DePaul in March, spoke to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files about working out for the Pacers on Wednesday and beginning his professional career. The 6’6″ wing spent a few weeks this spring playing for the Calgary Surge in the Canadian Elite Basketball League before taking part in the pre-draft process. Gunn told Agness he’s been leaning on veteran NBA guard Gary Harris, another local product, for advice. “Our families are real close-knit so he’s like my cousin,” said Gunn. “I go over to his house every weekend to work with him. After we get done working out and be able to sit down, have conversations about him or what coaches are looking for this whole process, his mindset when he was in it. And just him being a vet and being able to be in that moment and to pick his mind and to be a sponge. He’s definitely given me a lot of a lot of advice.”
- Connor McCaffery is rejoining the Pacers organization as a player development assistant with the Noblesville Boom, the team’s G League affiliate, Agness reports. A former Iowa Hawkeye, McCaffery spent the 2023/24 campaign in what he described as an “entry-level” job with the Pacers. He has spent the past two seasons in a coaching role at Butler, Agness notes.
Buzelis is young. Let him play now and get better during the offseasons. Once you pay him on the next contract it’s time to skip international
Would love to the see the Bulls select Caleb Wilson 4th overall, think he’d be a great fit with Giddey and Matas.
But with the 15th pick I’d rather they traded it to get out of Patrick Williams deal and go for a more win now piece that fits what they are doing.
Say Pat Will, Jalen Smith and picks 15 and 38 for Naz Reid and Donte DiVan.
TWolves probably don’t want to lose Naz but are facing a salary crunch. Jalen replaces him, PatWill gives a back up forward and they get some decent picks.
Another idea would be Pat Will, 15, 38 and 56 for Isiah Stewart and pick 21.
Might be a tough sell with the Pistons having finished first in the east but maybe they value moving up in the draft worth it plus a pair of seconds and a back up forward.
Lastly Christian Braun and picks 26 for 15 and Jalen Smith
Nuggets are looking to shred salary to keep Payton Watson. Jalen gives them a nice back up big on a cheap deal while also upgrading in the draft.
Those are all horrible ideas. Borderline horrendous. Sincerely hope they’re smarter than that. LMAO
How so…
Wow where to start.
1. Draft Wilson. That’s fine.
2. Williams. Williams contract is bad but it’s not keeping the Bulls from doing anything moving forward. They’re certainly not attaching future assets to get rid of him when they can just let the contract run down. You only have to match salaries when both teams are over the Cap, I asked in the chat with Arthur Hill. So the Bulls can trade him for the last 2nd round pick in any draft so adding to him would be totally stupid.
2. Bulls are trying to build. Naz Reid isn’t someone to build on if another team wants to get rid of him because they overpaid. Plus adding a guy with a torn Achilles who would be at best a B/U PG if he was healthy is how should I say, A Clown Show. Jalen Smith will bring something BACK by himself without attaching draft picks with him. So both those trade ideas are stupid.
3. The Bulls have the assets to attach to 38 to move up into either the late first round or early second round where they could maybe grab the C from Italy or a guy like Cenac, They’re trading it for Christian Braun who with Buzelis, Essengue, Miller, Wilson around plays where exactly? All of your dumb trade ideas move picks that can be starters with the Bulls to provide Cap relief for other teams and DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THE BULLS. Stupid ideas.
4. We don’t even have a coach yet. Donovan’s system was bad. Maybe the new coach can figure out a use for Williams. That’s definitely a long shot but the Bulls aren’t contending next year so maybe they let Williams and Dillingham play some and build some value for a trade while the rookies learn. I’m not trading 15 for anything less than trading UP for something better not another teams salary dump. When I can get a Cameron Carr, Steinbach or another cheap version why on Earth would I take another teams bad contract? If the Bulls do that there better be a ton of future draft picks coming with.
There’s more but taking on a bunch of dumb contracts when they just got out of a bunch of dumb contracts would be let’s see………..Dumber. The best thing you can have in this league is Cap Space. They have 65 million and another 25 million in expiring deals in Okoro, Jones and Smith. Taking on a bunch of bad deals for players who are bad deals other teams want to get rid of is completely stupid and ridiculous and your ideas are horrible . Hence the gist of what I said. If you come up with an idea that helps the Bulls I’ll listen, But since it only helps your team you can stop.
I think trading with MIN is an excellent idea.
Twolves are stuck both having to unload a contract (to sign Ayo) while having no extra picks to trade and an injured key contributor lost for next year. While I’d love for the Bulls to simply sign Ayo, that ship has sailed now that he’s played with a great team, and he fits perfectly beside Ant & Shannon. The only other team I could see him choosing is DET, and that would be difficult to take bc Ayo is going to be a problem that will haunt the Bulls for the next decade. A trade with MIN could keep him in the WEST (until realignment).
However, I don’t offer #15 or #38, they are gold and help the new GM tailor the roster towards his vision. Nor would I take on DiVi, and MIN probably will want him around playoff time.
Instead, I’d offer Jalen Smith and Trey Jones and several 2nds for Naz Reid. MIN will want to trade Randal, but let them deal him elsewhere, they’d trade Reid to solve PG, Ayo & backup big plus picks. Reid would be incalculably better than an Essengue at PF who might take years to develop. Reid would be a legit big that could play beside whichever young bigs the Bulls draft. Smith’s expiring 1yr can fit using their TE & Jones has two years to be MIN’s 2nd team point, who psychologically will be grateful to get him back. That’s all it would cost.
PWill can be dumped to a non-playoff team, though it will likely cost a future first, but MUST be done to move on. PWill won’t suddenly turn it on for a new coach. Choose the worst draft class and deal that year’s pick to the Nets.
Bulls don’t have to trade future 1st round draft picks to move Williams. What part of that is hard to understand? He’ll be gone for free long before the Bulls need the money he makes. Unless they’re dumb enough to take on the stupid money your trades will bring in. The Bulls basically right now are 90 million under the Cap and 130 million or so to get to the 1st apron. Do you guys understand math? New Mgmt didn’t create the Williams disaster so they’re not going give up picks to fix somebody else’s mistakes. You need to figure it out.
First Naz Reid isn’t someone they are looking to get rid of nor is he overpaid hence why you have to sweeten the deal with a first round pick….
Williams sure you can keep him but that’s just wasting a roster spot and space in your salary cap. No team is giving up a second round pick for him.
Jalen Smith really doesn’t have that much value hence why if you want a sizeable upgrade you attach a first round pick to him.
As for Braun he would be your starting shooting guard you muppet.
Giddey Braun Matas Caleb and some centre, Noa sucks and Miller sucks.
What you see as good players are end of the bench guys. Other teams role players you see as nothing more than cap relief for the team getting rid of them. You must really not follow the rest of the league and only interested in Chicago ball
Not really sure if you’re this dim on an everyday basis or if you’re really going all out here to be idiotic but you have some really dumb basketball ideas. First of all Jalen Smith is making 9 million bucks this year but you want the Bulls to trade what is surely going to be a lottery pick because they’re re-building to get rid of 9 million bucks? You can’t be that ignorant. As for the rest I’m basically done with this because I have more intelligent conversations with a tree in my front yard. You my friend are an alien. As in not from Earth. Wowwwwwwwwwww
Hey Tazza, you are right on every point. This guy simply isn’t able to see outside of his own opinion. Instead his replies are constantly filled with insults & an obvious inflexibility of thought, which is a waste of time.
Sorry Mike, gotta mute you, finally.
It’s a risk whenever these guys wanna play for their national teams. They end up putting more wear and tear on their bodies, and risk injury later on during the regular season of the nba. I’m not saying Buzelis shouldn’t play for his country, but that is an important factor to consider. Although, some guys can handle playing that much basketball..
I’m sure everybody outside of Latvia would rather he didn’t but it’s the way things are now. Guys cry there are too many games( And there are) But they still rush to play these extra games. Maybe if they get hurt they should get their pay docked and see how bad they want to play.
Such a stupid point of view.
NBA players playing internationally helps grow the game and makes it more competitive in world events.
If the player wants another challenge and to represent a place of his heritage who are you to judge.
As for docking his pay, you doing to dock players that train over the offseason too. Or dock those that step outside cause they could get hurt… grow up
And if Buzelis spends next year in a walking boot that helps the Bulls how? As far as GROWING the European game you must live in a cave because the International game is already GROWN. The only stupid point of views here are yours.
The international game continues to grow it’s not grown. Grown means finished growing. You think international basketball can’t get any bigger that it is right now.
As for Buzelis in a boot. That’s his decision if he wants to represent a country and play internationally. If he gets injured and it affects the bulls then unlucky