'25-'26 Chicago Bulls; Come for a New Spin on Mediocrity, Stay for Matas Buzelis
- Drew Stevens (@Drew_H_Stevens)
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read

CHICAGO- For the past three transactional cycles, Artūras Karnišovas has asked fans to bear with him as he’s targeted young players with experience and leaned into internal development, ostensibly buying time until a game changer capable of rejuvenating the Chicago Bulls reveals himself.
That clock, clearly, is set to Matas Buzelis.
While the Bulls warred with the injury bug during their five-game exhibition slate but did little to prove they’ll be markedly better at full strength, Buzelis fueled his origin story.
Between his ball handling, long-range shooting, finishing, and rim protection, the former 11th-overall pick, who celebrated his 21st birthday earlier this month, stacked highlight-reel plays on highlight-reel plays.
“I think everybody is surprised with the, quote unquote, big jump I’ve made,” said Buzelis who, on top of leading the team in scoring with 17.6 points, shot 57.4% from the field, 39.3% from the arc and collected 1.8 blocks in 23.3 minutes a game. He also averaged a couple of trips to the charity stripe, where he shot 78.9%.
“I’m not surprised. I know how hard I work. I’m just going to be better moving forward. I’m always striving for the biggest goals. I believe I can do anything.”
As the Bulls get set to lock horns with the Detroit Pistons in the season opener on Wednesday and what’s expected to be the toughest schedule in the Eastern Conference without Coby White (right calf strain) and Zach Collins (left wrist fracture), neither of whom are expected to return before the third week of the season, fate isn’t hesitating to call his bluff.
“I know there’s gonna be a learning curve soon,” Buzelis said, “and I’m gonna have to be ready for it.”
For as much promise as Buzelis put on display, however, the Bulls were 13.6 points worse than their opponents when he was on the court. That was the fourth-worst mark behind Isaac Okoro (-15.1), Nikola Vučević (-15.5) and Josh Giddey (-20.5), three other presumed starters.
As a team, the Bulls gave up just as many points per 100 possessions as they scored.
“We’ve gotta get into people defensively,” Billy Donovan said following the preseason finale Thursday, “and then we got to try to screen offensively to help create shots for one another.”
“This is a new style we’re playing,” Buzelis said of the Bulls, who want to make a habit out of winning the possession battle but, on average, committed three more turnovers than they forced and took four fewer shots than their opponents.
“I think we can shock some people this year.”
With apologies to teammates of his who’re determined to prove they’re worth their weight in gold, Buzelis is the primary reason the Bulls have any chance of surprising anyone until further notice.
If and when the Hinsdale native’s game catches up to his wiring, the organization he grew up supporting may find it has more than just the almighty dollar to answer to.
But for now, the idea of Buzelis taking a page out of Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese’s playbook is a nonstarter.
“I have faith in everyone right now on the team,” he said on media day when asked if he’d hold the organization accountable if there ever came a day when he felt it wasn’t holding up its end of the bargain. “There’s enough in the room. There’s enough of everyone and I believe in everyone.
"I don’t think we need to make any changes right now."
Tick tock.