After a slow start to life in the NBA, Matas Buzelis ended his rookie season as one of the Chicago Bulls’ most impressive players. The 2024 lottery pick has shown the type of upside that could lead him to become the franchise’s best player.
During a recent interview with ClutchPoints, Buzelis detailed what he will be working on throughout the summer, as he prepares for his sophomore year in the league.
“Getting stronger is definitely one of my goals,” Buzelis said. “Getting stronger, just working on my three-ball. I like to work on my overall game, honestly. I feel like I could do everything on the court so I don’t limit myself. It’s gonna be exciting how I put everything together.”
Buzelis played in 80 games for Billy Donovan’s team last season. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1 assist per game, shooting 45.4% from the field and 36.1% from 3-point range. He will likely have a bigger role heading into the 2025-26 campaign, which could allow him to take a significant jump, both in talent and on-court production.
Buzelis Could Become The Face of The Chicago Bulls
KC Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network recently declared that Buzelis could become the face of the Bulls franchise in the coming years.
“One takeaway I want to add about the draft, have you seen the Bulls’ social media account? Who’s been marching (the rookies) around? Matas Buzelis,” Johnson said. “He is becoming the face of the franchise. This is no knock on Josh Giddey or Coby White who obviously are much more accomplished at the NBA level. But Matas obviously being based here and becoming very media friendly… he’s been marching these guys around and participating quite a bit in the social media aspect. That’s the future right there.”
Buzelis has significant potential and upside. As the Bulls are a rebuilding roster, he will undoubtedly get all the minutes he needs to continue developing. Nevertheless, it would appear that he’s already emerging as a cornerstone talent in the Bulls’ rebuild, in part due to his personality and approach to being a professional.
Bulls Hold The Cards in Josh Giddey Negotiations
Another potential cornerstone of the Bulls’ rebuild is Josh Giddey. Heading into the offseason, re-signing the playmaker was undoubtedly a top priority. However, according to recent reports, both Giddey and the Bulls remain far apart in their discussions over a new contract.
During a recent episode of “The Chicago Lead,” Bulls insider K.C. Johnson explained why the Bulls are working from a position of strength.
“The Bulls have been able to talk with his representatives, as they did last fall when there was a rookie contract extension in play,” Johnson said. “And no deal. So this supports what I’ve been reporting, that the Bulls are negotiating from a position of strength. That’s not to say they don’t want Josh Giddey back. That’s not to say they traded Alex Caruso for a guy they’re going to let walk. What it is to say is they have learned from the Patrick Williams situation, where they very proactively outbid the competition.”
There’s still plenty of time for the Bulls and Giddey to find a middle ground and reach an agreement. Nevertheless, Bulls fans will undoubtedly be hoping those negotations can reach a conclusion sooner rather than later.
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