2024 NBA Draft - Chicago Bulls select Matas Buzelis with the 11th pick

[ChicagoSportsFan21]

I didn’t expect him to be there with him being taken top 5 in majority of mock drafts. I like the potential, versatility, size, and athleticism he brings.

[Jahensle]

I'm stoked. Would love to see us somehow grab a big in the early 2nd.

[GoBlue72391]

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White/Giddey/Buzelis

I like this young core ALOT

Meh. Giddey is the third guy in a trio and Coby isn't good enough to be part of a relevant team's top 3 unless it's a perfect situation alongside a generational talent, and maybe not even then. He's a 4th guy/elite 6th man.

Buzelis I like as a potential #2 guy if he can max out his potential.

Honestly our last young core of Zach/Lauri/WCJ was better. We'll be lucky if even one of Buzelis/Giddey/Coby can become as good as peak Lauri or peak Zach.

These guys are nice pieces to build with, but we still need a centerpiece to build around.

??

Coby White?! 4th guy???? wha

Anyway, the core is being built, I never said we had THEE guy yet. I'm sure that's what the 2025 pick is all about.

What do you see Coby as?

[sco]

I preferred Knecht, but can't quibble too much with the pick. He's got size and potential.

This guy sounds a lot like Phillips to me. Doesn't shoot well from 3. Poor handles. Easily pushed around in the paint. Good shot blocker/help defender.

Definitely a PF due to his lack of handles/outside shooting. Seems to have a decent work ethic. No way he sniffs the starting line-up this season. He's gonna have to beat out Phillips to get meaningful minutes this season.

He certainly seemed to be highly touted in this draft, but maybe that is saying more about the draft than him.

Well apparently he's a bit slow to chase wings and way too frail to bang inside. Maybe a stretch (giggety) 4?

More like a bench 4 until he bulks up and can hit 3's, but that's the caliber player you get in this draft.

[FecesOfDeath]

I see a lot of Andrei Kirilenko in his game. Dare I say Tyrus Thomas, too.

[coldfish]

I don't care if Buzelis starts or not, but he damn well better be in the rotation from day 1. None of that Dalen Terry DNP-CD ****.

We don't need to gift him a starting spot or big role like we did with Pat, but a small 10-15 MPG role off the bench to ease in him until he proves he's ready for more at least.

His ceiling is too high and his development is too important to just have him rotting on the bench like Dalen Terry.

Chicago force fed Patrick into the lineup. They wanted Buzelis. Dude is going to play. I'm more worried about them playing him too much than too little.

[meekrab]

At some point during the playoffs there was talk about us trading up to pick this kid so lets just breathe a sigh of relief that we didn't do that and he dropped to us.

[kodo]

Great pick. Might be the best move of the AKME era. A 3rd year player but has some serious potential. He is athletic and aggressive and has some dog in him.

He's 19, same as Risacher & Sarr. Pretty much the youngest you can be except for a few older 18 year olds.

[madvillian]

I see a lot of Andrei Kirilenko in his game. Dare I say Tyrus Thomas, too.

Just on a cursory glance don't see it, although I admit that just off the bat as a white lanky pretty explosive euro AK47 was the first guy that came to mind. A better comp from a prior age is probably Hedo with more explosion (hopefully).

In today's game he plays like Franz imo. Not nearly as tough (for now) or for that matter a ready made defensive difference maker at 18 coming into the league at three positions -- but the offensive tools are pretty similar imo. Matas might be a bit more explosive finishing but Franz's handle was better coming into the league imo. Both guys can do things with their size that are unstoppable as long as the player has confidence they can execute it. Might take some time.

I hope he can just show some flashes as a scorer this year before taking on more of a role as he ages. Some outburts of 10 on 13 shots once and awhile off the bench will do wonders for his future. If he can do that already, he'll be a good player sooner than later. Here's hoping!

[DuckIII]

Lol he's 6'8"

Is he a PF ?

More like a SF

No, more like exactly like a power forward.

[madvillian]

Is he a PF ?

More like a SF

No, more like exactly like a power forward.

Exception to the rule I think that you are who you can guard. Maybe eventually he can guard a couple positions but there ain't no way in hell he's anything but a modern PF on offense right now.

I'd like to see him and Pat play a bit together in the preseason, see what happens. Vuc doesn't fit at all here as the 5 next to them, which yea. Bummer.

[jnrjr79]

If the season started tomorrow he's probably our starting 4:

5: Vuc
4: Buzelis, Phillips
3: Giddey, Terry
2: Zach, Ayo, Bitim
1: Coby, Carter, Ball

Giddey plays PG or it was a waste of a trade.

There's a 0% chance that Giddey plays "PG". He'll play "point-forward". Coby would be the secondary ball handler here, with Buzelis and Zach the primary finishers in theory in terms of skill set.

I have no idea what this means, but if it means he’ll play the same position Lonzo did, then I agree.

[DASMACKDOWN]

I preferred Knecht, but can't quibble too much with the pick. He's got size and potential.

This guy sounds a lot like Phillips to me. Doesn't shoot well from 3. Poor handles. Easily pushed around in the paint. Good shot blocker/help defender.

Definitely a PF due to his lack of handles/outside shooting. Seems to have a decent work ethic. No way he sniffs the starting line-up this season. He's gonna have to beat out Phillips to get meaningful minutes this season.

He certainly seemed to be highly touted in this draft, but maybe that is saying more about the draft than him.

Well apparently he's a bit slow to chase wings and way too frail to bang inside. Maybe a stretch (giggety) 4?

More like a bench 4 until he bulks up and can hit 3's, but that's the caliber player you get in this draft.

But literally you can say that about everyone in this draft lol. His size profile is exactly the same as #1 pick Risacher.

[Jcool0]

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[jnrjr79]

Our new backup C!

Lol he's 6'8"

Too tall for Billy at the 5?

[burlydee]

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Great pick. Might be the best move of the AKME era. A 3rd year player but has some serious potential. He is athletic and aggressive and has some dog in him.

Love this mixtape. 6'10 and he handles the ball really well. Change of direction, advanced dribble moves, movement in tight spaces. Really need to improve that shot but his feel has me excited.

[madvillian]

Our defense as constructed is a non starter. I don't think that's going to be holding him back from minutes if this is how we're approaching next season (not even saying that's wrong given where we should be in the rebuild cycle).

I think coldfish is onto something, he's going to play, they might even clear the deck for him, I think they see him and Pat playing eventually together, but we'll see.

[kodo]

6' 9" barefoot, he'll be listed at 6' 10" in the NBA w/ shoes.

[Ccwatercraft]

I'm pleased with the pick, can't say I know much about him, but from what I've learned he has a high ceiling, and we definitely need more of that

[DuckIII]

I don't think he's in any way competing with Patrick for the starting PF slot, I think he's a very raw prospect that you would pick for the long term. And that's what the Bulls should be doing.

I think he'll play significant minutes as a rookie for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that we literally have no one even remotely like him on the entire roster. Our roster balance is so trash and outdated that he is a damn unicorn in Chicago.

Its crazy how true that is. There can't possibly be another team in the NBA who could have drafted Matas and you'd end up saying that about.