Is Matas Buzelis playing tonight? A look at Chicago Bulls rookie's availability ahead of Summer League clash vs. Bucks
Matas Buzelis will likely be the rookie getting all the attention when the Chicago Bulls open their Summer League campaign in Las Vegas against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday. The No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA draft inked a rookie scale deal with the team earlier this month and will be one of the players in focus as the rebuilding Bulls prepare for what appears to be a challenging 2024-24 season ahead.
Buzelis is expected to take the floor on Saturday and make his debut. Once pegged as a top five player in this year’s draft class, he slipped the rungs much to the surprise of most analysts. His two-way game potential and 6-foot-9 frame makes him one of the more intriguing players to watch out for this season.
Suiting up for the G League last season, Buzelis averaged 14.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest. His jumper, mid-range game and footwork have been much talked about and it remains to be seen if he can live up to the hype.
There is currently no update from the Bulls on their official injury report, so it seems safe to say that Matas Buzelis will be suiting up for Saturday's game.
"I want to win": Matas Buzelis makes his intent clear ahead of rookie season with Chicago Bulls
Matas Buzelis appeared to be gung-ho before the start of the new NBA season. The Ignite F/G made it clear that winning was his sole objective during his rookie campaign with the Chicago Bulls.
Per NBC Sports Chicago's K.C. Johnson, Buzelis highlighted that while he wanted to get better as a player, it was all about winning championships for the Windy City:
“I know what player I am. I work extremely hard. I don’t think anybody in the draft works harder than me," Buzelis said. "Right now, it’s 0-0. It doesn’t matter where you’re picked. You get to go out and play against the other rookies. This franchise has six [championships]. I want to add seven, eight, nine. That’s what I do.”
While Billy Donovan III as head coach and Juan Philips making a comeback from injury are two key headlines leading up to the game against the Bucks, the Chicago native could be the one to steal the limelight.
Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.