Matas Buzelis

Central Notes: Allen, Cavs, Giannis, Buzelis

January 1st, 2025 at 8:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

As he watches he role with the Cavaliers change this season, center Jarrett Allen remains a key part of the best team in the league by record in 2024/25, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Allen has ceded some touches and minutes to rising forward Evan Mobley this season, in an effort to help the All-Defensive Teamer take the next step in his own game. Fedor notes that Allen has occasionally even been on the bench late in games so Mobley can play center.

“Evan has been amazing this year,” Allen said. “I have always wanted to push him forward no matter what. Whether it’s taking the toughest assignment on defense so he can shine and have more energy on offense or just being in the dunker spot so he can have more room. Whatever I have to do to make him the best player, so he can unlock this offense and unlock this team, I’m willing to do it.”

Allen has seen his own numbers decline a little this season. After averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game last season, the 6’11” big man is averaging 13.7 PPG on an efficient 69.5% shooting from the floor, along with 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per night.

“He is just willing to do what it takes to win, whatever that ask is and it could be different every night,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s a huge cog. He is invaluable. When he plays at a top level, we are really hard to beat.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

The Cavaliers’ 122-110 victory over the Lakers on Tuesday extended their win streak to eight games, observes Fedor in another Cleveland.com story. Each of those wins was by a double-digit margin. Cleveland is now 29-4 on the year, good for a 72-win pace. “We know it’s about playoff performance,” Atkinson said. “That’s what it comes down to. You don’t want to be that team that everyone says, ‘Oh, they’re a good regular season team.’” Lakers head coach JJ Redick had high praise for Cleveland after the loss dropped his team to an 18-14 record. According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN (via Twitter), Redick believes clubs need to play “close to perfect basketball” to defeat the Cavaliers.
All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the Bucks an instant spark upon returning to the team from a four-game absence, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The two-time MVP helped his team rally out of a 19-point third quarter hole against Indiana, eventually resulting in a 27-point swing and a surprise 120-112 win. “We’re still a work in progress is what it says,” head coach Doc Rivers said of the comeback. “What [it] also says is having Giannis and Dame [All-Star point guard (Damian Lillard) on the floor allows you to close a lot better and that’s why we closed tonight.”
Though Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis was selected with the No. 11 pick in this past summer’s draft, he has been played sparingly by head coach Billy Donovan for much of his first pro season. Donovan recently reiterated that he is prioritizing more veteran players over Buzelis with an eye towards winning, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “The balance between (Buzelis) and also the responsibility to try and make decisions that I feel are the best to put the team in position to win,” Donovan said. “This is not to be critical of Matas, but when there are things going on out there that he is not doing a good enough job on, I can’t just keep on keeping him out there. He’s got to have a level of responsibility.”

Bulls Notes: Giddey, Dosunmu, Trade Talks, Buzelis

December 29th, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Giddey returned to the lineup with a triple-double Saturday night as the Bulls got a much-needed win over Milwaukee, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. He missed the previous four games with a sprained right ankle that was originally feared to be much worse than it turned out to be. Giddey sparked the team with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, but he preferred to talk about his improved defense.

“Taking more pride on that side of the ball is something I wanted to buy into probably 10, 12 games ago,” he said. “I met with (coach Billy Donovan), and we spoke about it in order to close games and be an impact. Even when offense isn’t going great, you’ve got to be locked in on that side of the ball. So, I really tried to hone in that side. It’s not going to be perfect. It won’t be for anybody, but I just made an emphasis to really be locked in on that side of the ball.”

Giddey realized he needed to upgrade his defense after a November 15 game in which the Cavaliers repeatedly targeted him on that end of the court, Mayberry adds. He responded to the experience with extra film study and a commitment to bring more effort to his defensive responsibilities.

“There’s only so much film you can watch,” he said. “It’s your will and your want to do it. I flipped that switch, and I want to do it now. It’s something I’ve wanted to take pride in and put myself in those positions where I have to sit down and guard the ball. I’ve really tried to lock in on that side of the ball and make an emphasis of standing my ground and not being the weak link on that side of the ball. You get to a point in your NBA career where you are who you are, and I didn’t want to be that way on the defensive side.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Ayo Dosunmu will be reevaluated in 10 days after straining his lower right calf in a December 23 game, the Bulls announced (via Twitter). He sat out Thursday’s contest with a sore Achilles, and medical imaging on Friday revealed the cause of the pain, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “Let it calm down,” Donovan said. “No tears or anything like that, but certainly a strain showed up. With the way he plays, it’s probably in an area that will continue to cause problems unless he rests it. You’re always going to be susceptible to causing more problems. It was something that was caught earlier, which is a positive.” Cowley notes that Dosunmu was coming off his best stretch of the season, averaging 14.2 points and 6.4 assists in his last nine games.
The Bulls appear to be quiet in trade talks, as Donovan indicated that team vice president Arturas Karnisovas hasn’t contacted him about any serious proposals, Cowley adds in a separate story. “I think he’s always been respectful that we’ve got games coming, and we’re talking about the team, the roster, where we’re at now, how we get better, how we improve, those type of things,” Donovan said. “But there hasn’t been anything of substance of ‘Hey, this is where things are at.'”
Matas Buzelis may already be the Bulls’ best shot blocker, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The rookie forward had two more blocks Saturday night and leads the team in that category even though he’s only ninth in minutes played.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Vucevic, Ball, Giddey, Dosunmu, Carter

December 27th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Although there have been “whispers” about the Lakers as a possible landing spot for Bulls guard Zach LaVine for the better part of a year, the pieces that would need to be included in a deal between the two teams wouldn’t fit for Chicago, a source tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, making Los Angeles an unlikely landing spot for LaVine.

Cowley, who previously confirmed that there was some “light momentum” in LaVine talks between the Bulls and Nuggets, says no additional progress has been made. The two teams have sent each other feelers about what a trade might look like, but discussions haven’t gone beyond that.

Cowley also takes a look at where things stand with Nikola Vucevic and Lonzo Ball, noting that the Bulls would ideally like to get draft assets and expiring salaries in exchange for both players.

While one report stated that Chicago is seeking a first-round pick in return for Vucevic, a source who spoke to Cowley suggests that’s not necessarily the case and that a package of multiple second-rounders is a more realistic return. Second-round draft compensation and matching expiring money would likely also be a best scenario in a Ball deal, Cowley adds.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Point guard Josh Giddey, who has missed four straight games due to a sprained right ankle, is listed as questionable to play on Saturday vs. Milwaukee, as are Ball (illness) and Matas Buzelis (illness). According to Cowley, head coach Billy Donovan seems confident that Ball will be available and said Giddey might be too. “I wouldn’t say it’s a long shot, but a lot is going to depend on how he responds off (Thursday’s) workout and then probably get another one in (Friday),” Donovan said of Giddey’s potential return. “That will probably be a pretty good tell on if he’ll be available on Saturday.”
While Giddey and Ball may be back on Saturday, it sounds like another injured Bulls guard, Ayo Dosunmu, will miss a little more time. He’s listed as doubtful to play in the Milwaukee game due to a right soleus (calf) strain. “It’s kind of lingered a little bit, gotten sorer and sorer,” Donovan said, per Cowley. “Some of it may be his minutes, I don’t know, but enough that they want to evaluate it and look at it. He is uncomfortable with it right now in terms of planting, pushing off, springing, jumping, that kind of stuff is bothering him.”
With the Bulls’ backcourt banged up, veteran guard Jevon Carter played 36 minutes and scored 26 points in Thursday’s loss to Atlanta. It was just the second time this season he’s played double-digit minutes and it was his highest-scoring game since he joined the Bulls as a free agent in 2023. In a separate story for The Chicago-Sun Times, Cowley writes that Carter has maintained a positive attitude despite his limited role as a Bull. “I’m happy for him personally, just because all of the time he puts in,” Donovan said. “The opportunities have been limited, but the ability and the maturity competitively just to keep himself ready at all times is really impressive to me. To see him rewarded for the work he puts in was great.”

Central Notes: Cunningham, Lillard, Toppin, Buzelis

December 22nd, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons collected a road win over the Suns on Saturday and Kevin Durant gave high praise to Detroit guard Cade Cunningham, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic writes.

“I think it’s his year to be an All-Star, take off and go to that next level. It’s always a joy to play against him because we compete,” Durant said. “He doesn’t treat me like the old head and take it easy on me and vice versa. I don’t try to take it easy on him.”

Cunningham, who grew up watching Durant, was grateful for the support from the star forward, referring to him as a “living legend.”

“It’s an honor, man,” said Cunningham, who signed a max rookie scale extension in the offseason. “Every time. I tell (Durant) every time we play each other, it’s an honor to be able to compete with him. He’s such a basketball junkie. I’ve gotten the chance to work out with him, see what he’s like in the offseason and how he works. It’s an honor to be able to play against him, somebody that I’ve watched as a kid.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks don’t expect Damian Lillard to miss much time. Lillard, who sat out Friday’s game against Cleveland due to a right calf strain, felt some discomfort before the NBA Cup final but still scored 23 points. “He could play as early as Chicago on Monday or right after that, so he’s close,” head coach Doc Rivers said told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “He worked out (Saturday) and felt pretty good.”
Obi Toppin signed a four-year, $60MM contract during free agency to remain with the Pacers. He’s backing that up by posting some solid numbers. Over his last eight games, Toppin is averaging 15.1 points on 59.2% shooting (including 42.9% from three-point range), 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. As the Indianapolis Star’s Dustin Dopirak points out, the forward is impressing head coach Rick Carlisle with more than just his offensive production. “In the last two-and-a-half, three weeks, Obi has taken his game to another level,” Carlisle said. “More physical. Defense and rebounding really, really tremendous. Offensively, he’s getting in a rhythm. He’s one of our important weapons. When he defends and rebounds the way he has been in recent games, it’s another really important factor for us.”
After the Bulls selected him in the lottery, Matas Buzelis set two goals, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Julia Poe: 1. Win as many games as possible; 2. Win Rookie of the Year. Buzelis has been getting rotation minutes but has posted modest stats thus far. Buzelis discusses his rookie season at length with Poe.

Bulls Notes: Smith, LaVine, Vucevic, Williams, Buzelis

December 11th, 2024 at 5:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Revenge wasn’t on Jalen Smith‘s mind when he faced the Pacers Friday night for the first time since leaving them over the summer to sign with the Bulls, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

Given the financial realities of the situation, Smith and Indiana’s front office both seemed to understand going into last season that their relationship was about to end, Dopirak adds. Holding a $5.4MM player option, Smith felt it was in his best interest to seek a bigger contract in free agency, and the three-year, $27MM deal he got from Chicago was nearly double what the Pacers were paying him. With no hard feelings on either side, Smith welcomed Friday’s game as a chance to catch up with some old friends.

“Obviously, I wanted to be back in Indiana, but at the end of the day, it was the business part of the game,” he said. “All of them wished me luck. They all said they would be there to help me whenever I needed it. At the end of the day, I didn’t leave on bad terms. Obviously, being able to finally get my career going there, it was tough to leave, but at the end of the day it was just the business part of the game.”

Smith has been a solid addition in Chicago, averaging 8.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per night as the team’s primary backup center. His loss has been significant for Indiana, which doesn’t have a reliable big man off the bench since Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman both suffered season-ending injuries.

“Loved him,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of Smith. “He’s one of the most wonderful young men I’ve ever been around. Always in a great mood, high level of skill. He’s a great rebounder and he can really shoot the ball and he can block shots. He knows how to play. He’s a great teammate. I was really disappointed that we lost him, but I could really see that it was gonna happen. He’s just too good.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Zach LaVine isn’t dominating the offense the way he has in the past, but he’s still scoring a lot because of improved efficiency, notes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. LaVine has only taken 20 shots five times this season, but he’s connecting at 50.6% from the field, a career-high 43.2% from beyond the arc and 80% on free throws. ‘‘There might be a game where I may need to go out there and try and lead the team offensively, but this year has been more about spurts,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think that’s the style of play that we’re playing right now.’’
Center Nikola Vucevic is also benefiting from coach Billy Donovan’s up-tempo offense, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Vucevic is averaging 21 PPG, which would be his highest total for a full season since he came to Chicago in a 2021 trade, and he’s shooting 58.7% from the floor, the best figure of his career. “I don’t think people understand how hard he works,” LaVine said. “We all made sacrifices — me, DeMar (DeRozan), Vooch — we all came together and we all took a little bit less of our game and tried to do better for the team. But I think Vooch took the biggest back seat for years.”
Patrick Williams plans to return Friday after missing 10 games with inflammation in his left foot, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Williams will likely be on a minutes restriction at first, but Mayberry notes that the team will eventually face a decision on how much his availability cuts into the playing time of rookie forward Matas Buzelis.

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Buzelis, Defensive Woes, Ball

December 7th, 2024 at 5:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Zach LaVine‘s first steps toward overcoming the injuries that ruined last season took place in the boxing ring, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. After undergoing surgery in February to fix a nonunion Jones fracture in his right foot, LaVine sought a method of cardio training that wouldn’t put excess strain on the injured area. He turned to a California boxing gym to help build his fitness and endurance, and it also gave him a mental sharpness that has been useful on the basketball court.

“Those three-minute rounds — it’s you versus him,” LaVine said. “Any mistakes you make, he’ll knock you down. It takes mental fortitude to really lock into what you’re doing. That’s helped me this year where if I’m tired in the moment or I’m upset about something, I can think with a little bit more of a clear head. Playing basketball is not as hard as somebody trying to knock you out.”

Poe notes that LaVine needs extra endurance to fit into coach Billy Donovan’s new offense, which has the Bulls playing at the fastest rate in league history with 104.82 possessions per 48 minutes. Even though the attack hasn’t been efficient so far, Chicago ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 118.9 points per game. LaVine is playing fewer minutes and seeing fewer shots than in past seasons, but Donovan credits him for buying into the system.

“He’s really tried to help us establish the identity and the style of play,” Donovan said. “He’s been really selective. We haven’t really taken a ton of non-paint twos. Our shot profile has been good. The level of uncontested threes we’ve gotten has been good.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Donovan has been impressed by the fearlessness Matas Buzelis has shown as a rookie, Poe adds in a separate story. Even though his first NBA season has been filled with ups and downs, Buzelis hasn’t let any setbacks affect his approach to the game. “He’s not afraid of failure or messing up,” Donovan said. “He gets disappointed or down because he wants to do better, but it doesn’t paralyze him. I’ve seen some players who are just afraid to make mistakes and they just don’t do anything. He’s not that way.”
Donovan is looking forward to a break in the schedule next week to try to fix the Bulls’ porous defense, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Speaking to reporters after his team surrendered 132 points in Friday’s loss to Indiana, Donovan indicated that defense will be the priority during an upcoming four-day stretch without games. “I don’t want to place it all on practice, but we do need that,” he said. “The way the schedule has been in November, we do need it. We’ve got to figure out ways, all of us, coaches, players, solve just the quick things that happen in a game that leads to breakdowns.”
Ramona Shelburne and Jamal Collier of ESPN take an inside look at Lonzo Ball‘s long rehabilitation process, including the “Hail Mary” operation that helped him resume his career.

Central Notes: Pistons, Mitchell, Buzelis, Ball

December 3rd, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA Cup might not be a big deal for some teams, but the Pistons are energized by the possibility of making the knockout round. They host the Bucks on Tuesday and the winner will prevail in East Group B of the tournament. They are both 3-0 heading into the contest.

“Guys are into it,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “The vibes are good, guys are excited, they’re looking forward to the opportunity. Like we talked about, we want to give our guys a chance to play meaningful basketball and see what that feels like, and for some of our guys this is the most meaningful basketball that they’ve been able to play. It’s a great opportunity for us, great experience for us.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 second-half points on Sunday as the Cavaliers bounced back from two losses to Atlanta by defeating the Celtics. Mitchell said it was the type of game that the Cavs, who trailed by double digits in the second half, might not have won in the past, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I think that just speaks to the growth of our group,” Mitchell said. “I think you go back to when I first got here, obviously we’re younger, we’re not as familiar with each other, [and we’d] kind of fold in those situations. You’re just seeing the growth, and that’s the biggest thing I feel like is for us just continuing to build … if we continue to grow and continue to learn from these different things, that’s really what it’s about. That’s what tonight was. We could have easily been like, ‘All right, turning the ball over, different things, not getting stops, offense kind of bogged down.’ But who were we when we hit adversity? And that’s what I’ve been saying. It’s great to learn through these wins, but when we face adversity, who are we going to be? And that’s what you’re continuously seeing from this group. We’ve been trying games and different things, and so I’m proud of the way we fought.”
Matas Buzelis scored a season-high 20 points, a great sign from the lottery pick. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Buzelis and the other young players on the roster have to continue to earn their minutes, Julia Poe of the Chicago Tribune writes. “They’ve got to get playing time. But they have to understand it’s not free candy,” Donovan said.
Lonzo Ball is on a minutes restriction but the Bulls guard has made an impressive impact in limited playing time. He has the best plus-minus rating on the roster, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic notes. “I know it’s only a very small sample size, but if you look at his plus-minus on the floor, it’s crazy for the amount of time he’s gotten,” Donovan said of Ball, a free agent after the season.

Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, NBA Cup, Buzelis

November 28th, 2024 at 6:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Bulls wing Ayo Dosunmu has emerged as perhaps Chicago’s best two-way player, despite a recent shooting slump, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Dosunmu, for one, is not concerned about his career-worst 28.2% shooting from three-point land to start the season.

“Take the shots when they’re there,” Dosunmu said. “I understand that I put a lot of work into my jump shot. I’m not really worried about that. When it’s all said and done, I know that I’ll be at a certain percentage. That’s typically how it goes when you put the work in.”

Head coach Billy Donovan considers the fourth-year guard out of Illinois to be the engine of the club’s blisteringly quick offense.

“I’ve put a lot on him as far as the pace-setting for us because he’s so fast coming down the floor,” Donovan said. “Guys are running with him and he’s pushing it ahead, spraying it around, he’s getting into the teeth of the defense, flattening the defense out, but there’s probably been a sacrifice a little bit there with his scoring where he hasn’t had as many opportunities.”

Through his first 20 games (seven starts), the 6’5″ pro is averaging 11.8 points, plus a career-high 4.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

There’s more out of Chicago:

Despite an 8-12 overall record, the Bulls have an opportunity to qualify for the NBA Cup quarterfinals with a win against Boston on Friday, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. Chicago is atop East Group C, alongside the Hawks and Celtics, sporting a 2-1 record in group play. That said, a win is unlikely against the reigning champs, who are 15-3 on the year and fairly healthy. Poe opines that it would behoove Chicago to lose as much as possible — including in the NBA Cup — with an eye on the 2025 draft lottery.
Bulls lottery pick Matas Buzelis continues to navigate a steep learning curve in his rookie season, writes Cowley in another article. The 6’10” forward has gotten a major playing opportunity thanks to the extended absence of starting four Patrick Williams. “[The playing time is] very important,” Buzelis said. “I’m looking at it as an opportunity to play in the NBA. I’m super-thankful to play. Every time I step on the floor, I’m thinking of it as a blessing. I’m not taking it for granted. But every time I step out there, I’m going to keep learning, keep getting better.” Across his last four games, Buzelis is averaging 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 blocks in 23.0 minutes per night. On the year, he’s been averaging 4.3 PPG and 2.2 RPG in 11.4 MPG.
In case you missed it, backup Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball returned to action on Wednesday in a loss to the Magic. It marked his first action since suffering a sprained right wrist on October 28.

Bulls Notes: Buzelis, Ball, NBA Cup, Dosunmu

November 24th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

There weren’t many bright spots for the Bulls in Saturday’s loss to Memphis, but rookie forward Matas Buzelis provided some hope for the future, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. Buzelis scored 12 of his career-high 14 points during an electrifying stretch in the second quarter as he displayed his many offensive talents.

As Mayberry describes, Buzelis viciously attacked the rim on drives to the basket, displayed confidence on catch-and-shoot three-point shots and flexed toward the crowd after finishing a fast break with a tomahawk dunk. After sinking his first three-pointer, Buzelis turned to the Grizzlies’ bench and stared down Ja Morant, who is sidelined with an injury.

“Ja said, ‘It’s off’ or something like that; ‘Hell no,’” Buzelis explained after the game. “And I just looked at him. I didn’t really say anything.”

The Bulls were fortunate that Buzelis fell to them with the 11th pick in the draft after he had been projected to go much higher. The team has been bringing him along slowly, but they needed him for 29 minutes on Saturday with Patrick Williams sidelined by foot inflammation and Julian Phillips missing the game due to illness. Buzelis’ performance may be an indication that he’s ready for a larger role for the rest of the season.

“The biggest thing that I respect about him,” coach Billy Donovan said, “is that I think he understands the importance of the little things. And I think that’s an area of focus that he’s been trying to really focus on.”

There’s more from Chicago:

Lonzo Ball is making progress with his sprained right wrist and may be cleared for contact this week, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Donovan sounded optimistic about Ball’s prognosis when he spoke to reporters before Saturday’s game. ‘‘Today was probably the best day he had in terms of shooting the basketball,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘Whatever it was, a week or 10 days ago, he was having some discomfort shooting. And today he actually felt pretty good doing that, so there’s been significant progress over the last 10 days. But until he can get into some contact, using his hands, passing, catching, those kinds of things, we can at least keep moving forward.’’
Donovan is the latest coach to express uneasiness about running up the score in NBA Cup games, Cowley adds in a separate story. Because point differential is an important tie-breaker in the tournament, Donovan kept his starters on the court with a double-digit lead late in Friday’s victory over Atlanta. “I don’t know if there’s a different way to do it,” he said. “When you’ve only got these four games, there’s got to be some sort of separation if these teams have the same record. But I don’t love that part of it, personally. It is what it is, those are the rules, and we’ve just got to play with them.”
Bonus money in the NBA Cup is a strong motivator for players, Ayo Dosunmu tells Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. “That’s $500,000,” he said of the winners’ share. “As a competitor you’ve always got that in the back of your mind. … Everybody in the top four gets money. You’re getting money to do it, getting paid on top of getting paid. That’s fun, and I think it brings more competition during the season, because the season is so long.”

Bulls Notes: Buzelis, Vucevic, Smith, LaVine, THT

November 6th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rookie Bulls forward Matas Buzelis, the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft, continues to play very sparingly at the NBA level this fall, resulting in the team sending him to the G League over the weekend for a brief assignment with the Windy City Bulls. Potential stints in the NBAGL were always part of the plan for Buzelis, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, who says it would be “incorrect” to view the assignment as a negative.

The G League season won’t tip off until this Friday, but Buzelis told reporters after returning to the NBA that he got the opportunity to scrimmage against the Iowa Wolves on Saturday, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).

“I was fine with it. I know it’s part of my development,” Buzelis said. “There’s always a learning curve going into the NBA. It’s a different animal.”

Buzelis has logged total 32 minutes across six appearances for Chicago so far, scoring five points on 2-of-12 shooting during his brief cameos.

Here’s more on the Bulls:

After a down year in 2023/24, Nikola Vucevic is off to a hot start this fall, hitting 48.5% of his three-point attempts, increasing his scoring average to 21.7 points per game, and earning kudos from head coach Billy Donovan for his play on defense too, according to Cowley of The Sun-Times and Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. “I know it’s early in the year, but he’s really played well on both ends of the floor,” Donovan said. “He’s been great. He’s been great with the young guys. He’s shot the ball well both inside the line and outside the line. I think the thing with him, with the way we’re playing, he’s getting a lot of close-outs. Guys are running at him, and he’s really a good passer.” Long viewed as a possible trade candidate, Vucevic is making $20MM this season, with one more year and $21.5MM left on his contract after that.
Within a mailbag for the Tribune, Poe considers whether it might make sense for the Bulls to experiment with two-big lineups featuring Vucevic and offseason addition Jalen Smith.
After missing Monday’s game vs. Utah due to a right adductor strain, Zach LaVine is listed as questionable to play in Dallas on Wednesday, per the NBA’s official injury report. It’s the first game of a back-to-back set for the Bulls, who will return home to host the Timberwolves on Thursday, so we’ll see if the banged-up guard is also active tomorrow if he’s cleared to play tonight.
The only NBA player to make a standard regular season roster on an Exhibit 10 contract, Talen Horton-Tucker saw his first significant action of the season on Monday with LaVine out, Poe writes for The Tribune. The Bulls outscored the Jazz by five points during Horton-Tucker’s 28 minutes in the nine-point loss, as he contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists. The veteran guard’s minimum salary will remain non-guaranteed until January 7.

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