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Spot in Bulls rotation uncertain for rookie Buzelis

Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis stepped in front of reporters at the Advocate Center on Tuesday sporting a new, shorter haircut. It wasn't a buzz cut or anything, but his slightly shaggy look from preseason was gone.

“Got to get ready for the games,” Buzelis said with a smile. “Usually, I've got my crazy hair going, but not today.”

The Bulls open the season Wednesday at New Orleans. What's in store for Buzelis isn't clear, but there's a good chance he won't play.

Coach Billy Donovan has talked about using a 10-man rotation, which is deep for an NBA team. But assuming the starters are Zach LaVine, Coby White, Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic, the next five spots in the rotation fill up pretty quickly with Ayo Dosunmu, Lonzo Ball, Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry and Justin Smith.

There's also Talen Horton-Tucker, the Chicago native who played very well in preseason to earn a roster spot, and veteran forward Torrey Craig. On paper, it doesn't seem like playing time will come in big chunks for Buzelis, especially when the team is fully healthy like it is now.

“I just adjust,” Buzelis said. “Everything's not going to be perfect. I just adjust to what I have to be and I do it to the best of my abilities.”

Asked about playing time for the rookie, Donovan suggested he doesn't plan to sit Buzelis for multiple games. The playing time may be limited, but Donovan doesn't want the Willowbrook native to be forgotten either.

“I think we've got to find ways to get him in the game, just to get him experience and minutes,” Donovan said. “I do think for his growth and development, part of that is being able to find ways to get him on the floor.”

Buzelis spent all of last season in the G-League, since he chose to play for G-League Ignite instead of attending college. That team has since folded, a casualty of NIL, but it seems probable Buzelis will spend time in Hoffman Estates playing for the Windy City Bulls at some point. Their season doesn't begin until Nov. 8, so it won't happen right away.

“We haven't really talked about it,” Buzelis said. “If I go down there, it's not my goal to be down there. I'm going to work my way up to the big team and try to get minutes on the Bulls roster. If I have to go down there, I don't take it as disrespect. I'm there to learn and advance as a human and a basketball player.”

During preseason, the 6-foot-10 Buzelis averaged 9.3 points in 20.2 minutes, shooting 29% from 3-point range. Erratic and athletic describes his game. He's got every skill there is, but needs to add refinement to all of them, along with more muscle.

Eventually, the Bulls would love to use him as a small-ball center, but that might be a few years down the road. Asked the toughest part of his first NBA training camp, Buzelis answered, “Getting into shape, learning where I have to be on the floor, building a routine.”

As mentioned above, it may take an injury or two to open a spot in the rotation for Buzelis. Donovan said Ball will continue to play in short spurts, 14-16 minutes total. Ball will likely sit out one leg of back-to-back games and the Bulls get the first set right away, playing in Milwaukee on Friday, followed by the home opener against Oklahoma City.

The Bulls did not come to an agreement on a contract extension with former Thunder wing Giddey, which means he'll become a restricted free agent next summer. Giddey went No. 6 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft and is the highest pick in his class not to sign an extension. But he's not sweating it. The Bulls will be able to match any outside offer next year.

“You've got to earn these contracts, they don't just hand them out,” Giddey said. “I thought my third year probably wasn't deserving of what those picks got, so it's up to me to go out there and earn that type of money.

“I'm not going to sit here and be upset about it. It doesn't put a chip on my shoulder or makes me want to prove anyone wrong. I'm very happy to be here, I love it here.”

In fact, Giddey might be more optimistic about the new season than anyone in Chicago.

“I'm really confident in this team,” he said. “We truly believe we have enough in this building to be the team that we want to be.”

Pelicans coach Willie Green said Zion Williamson (illness) and newcomer Dejounte Murray (personal) are game-time decisions against the Bulls.

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