Matas

Buzelis

Despite the Lakers playing without Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, they managed to blitz Buzelis and the Bulls and not look back. The lottery pick did not shoot the ball particularly well, but he did manage to accumulate one steal and three blocked shots. If Buzelis can provide consistent defensive production, that would boost his fantasy value in a lineup that includes Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. In previous seasons, Chicago has been willing to commit to chasing a play-in spot, even if that limits their flexibility in rebuilding. Going all-in on a rebuild would make Buzelis one of the more valuable fantasy rookies in this class.

Buzelis wasn’t thrilled with his performance in Saturday’s win over Milwaukee, as he shot 4-of-15 from the field. The rookie was considerably better on Sunday, scoring a game-high 28 points while shooting the ball better from the field and three. And Buzelis had arguably the dunk of the weekend, posterizing Warriors wing Daeqwon Plowden during the fourth quarter. While the rookie does need to get stronger, he isn’t afraid to mix it up on either end of the floor. With the Bulls embarking on a rebuild, Buzelis is a young player the fan base will enjoy watching develop.

Buzelis will have better days shooting the basketball, but the Bulls had to be pleased with his aggressiveness on the offensive end of the floor. Does DeMar DeRozan’s exit mean the rookie will be a starter from Day One? That remains to be seen. With DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Andre Drummond all moving on, it’s clear (on paper) that the Bulls are closer to rebuilding than contending for a playoff spot. Buzelis’ defensive activity was also displayed on Saturday, as he tallied two steals and consistently challenged shots and passing lanes.

Buzelis opted to go the route of the G League instead of playing in college. He played 30.9 minutes per game for the Ignite and averaged 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.9 blocks and 0.9 triples across 34 minutes per game. His shooting splits were suboptimal (.455/.261/.696), but he was still able to flash some upside as a scorer throughout the season, even if the results weren’t always great. Still, a 6’10” forward that can play with the ball in his hands and still make a statistical impact defensively should be incredibly enticing to fantasy managers. He was born in Chicago, and now he’ll get the chance to represent his hometown team. If the Bulls choose to reset and move off of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and/or Nikola Vucevic, Buzelis could play a big role in year one.

Buzelis is one of the high-level draft prospects on this year’s G League Ignite roster, and he’s currently projected by many scouts to be no worse than a top-5 pick next June. But the start of his first game with the Ignite wasn’t the best, as Buzelis appeared to be a bit hesitant on the offensive end of the floor. Things changed after the halftime break, and the final stat line is one that many would take from an 18-year-old making his (unofficial) pro debut. Buzelis will look to get off to a better start when the teams meet again on Friday, but there’s little need for concern in the aftermath of his first game.