Matas

Buzelis

Craig will miss another game due to injury, and his absence does not impact fantasy basketball. Rookie Matas Buzelis has played more with Craig sidelined but has not done enough to merit being rostered in most fantasy leagues.

Craig was a late scratch on Thursday, with the Bulls not announcing his status until the third quarter. His potential absence on Saturday will not significantly impact fantasy basketball, but it may ensure Matas Buzelis will play rotation minutes. There’s no need to stream Buzelis.

A bright spot for the Bulls in their 20-point defeat was the ability to get Buzelis extended run. The rookie has struggled some with the physicality of the NBA, but Wednesday’s performance was a step in the right direction. Buzelis established season-highs in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, and 3-pointers. Outside of blowouts, the rookie’s playing time will be limited early in the season, so there’s no need to add Buzelis now. But he will have added value later in the season if the Bulls aren’t contending for a postseason berth.

Zach LaVine (shoulder) is also questionable, so Chicago’s forward depth could be quite shallow against the Nets. If Williams and/or LaVine are ruled out, more minutes should be available for Dalen Terry, Matas Buzelis and Julian Phillips.

The Bulls recently got together in Miami to get some on-court time before the start of training camp, and that should have been good for Williams. Unfortunately, he reportedly experienced discomfort in the foot that was operated on in late February, and there are now questions regarding his availability for the start of camp. With DeMar DeRozan no longer in the picture, Williams is one of the players in line for added responsibility. But that will only happen if he’s healthy. Williams is a late-round option in drafts, but Monday’s update makes him more of an option to leagues that have ample IL+ slots to work with. Rookie Matas Buzelis is someone to be mindful of if the Bulls announce that Williams suffered a significant setback.