“Situational Evaluation” is a collection of articles that seeks to look at the circumstances that almost all typically affect an NBA prospect’s success. Every participant will likely be scored on a scale from 1-10 in 4 totally different classes: NBA-specific talent(s), deadly flaw(s), collegiate/abroad/pre-NBA atmosphere, and very best NBA ecosystem.
Matas Buzelis is a 19-year-old ahead from Chicago who averaged 14.3 factors, 6.9 rebounds, and a couple of.1 blocks for G League Ignite. He’s anticipated to be chosen in the course of the lottery. NBADraft.web at present has him projected at No. 5.
NBA-Particular Expertise
When his sport is firing on all cylinders, Matas Buzelis has the full bundle.
Buzelis can have stretches the place it looks as if the sport comes exceptionally straightforward to him. Watch him rotate for a weakside shot block, tip the ball to a teammate, get it again on a delayed break, cross over his defender and kick it to an open shooter. Watch him flash right into a mushy spot within the protection and rise for an unblockable midrange jumper. Watch his non-verbal communication with a teammate for a candy give-and-go – both because the passer or because the cutter.
There may be a lot to love right here from a uncooked abilities standpoint and from the harder-to-quantify “feels the sport” standpoint. Buzelis has a relaxed movement and a aptitude to his sport that may remind you of Paul George on the precise night time. After all, he’ll possible by no means be the go-to scorer or the on-ball defensive menace George is, however some gamers make it appear to be basketball is second nature to them. They by no means appear to be overthinking it or stressing out – they simply act and react as if it’s as pure as blinking or respiration.
Some gamers with that mentality/strategy can get unfairly tagged with the “lackadaisical” notice within the scout’s pocket book, who confuse ease with nonchalance. Buzelis performs with a refined nasty streak and competes arduous, even in opposition to gamers with rather more bulk and energy.
He’s removed from a completed product, however his mixture of courtroom savvy, basketball IQ, size, ball abilities, and competitiveness are arduous to seek out.
On a scale from 1-10, Buzelis’s well-rounded sport charges at an 8.5.
Deadly Flaws
Simply think about if Buzelis may shoot. He would possibly go No. 1 total.
Because it stands, his capturing struggles would possibly place a tough cap on how efficient he might be on the NBA degree. Perimeter gamers have a tough time surviving within the league with 44/27/68 capturing splits. He shot it a lot better than that in highschool (senior season capturing splits: 54/42/80), so there’s a reasonable expectation that he can shoot it a lot better than he did with G League Ignite. However we’ve seen savvy perimeter playmakers with Buzelis’s bodily profile (Franz Wagner, Josh Giddey) undergo capturing swoons and lose confidence as quickly as defenses began enjoying 10 toes away, daring them to shoot.
Though Buzelis tasks as a strong secondary playmaker, he posted a damaging help/turnover ratio with Ignite, getting a bit free along with his dribble and making an attempt to make spectacular performs when easy ones will suffice.
Maybe most vital, Buzelis must get stronger. He struggles to complete on the rim and de doesn’t get to the road a lot. Defensively, he’s a lot better off the ball than in one-on-one conditions proper now, as he isn’t essentially the most laterally fast defender. Smaller gamers with a low heart of gravity also can benefit from Buzelis in one-on-one matchups.
I anticipate these points to clean themselves out as Buzelis matures and grows into his physique. The capturing, nonetheless, would be the bellwether on his potential. If Buzelis regains his highschool capturing contact, he may very well be a dynamic offensive weapon and the steal of this draft. But when the capturing struggles that plagued his G League season comply with him to the NBA, he may need a tough time carving out a distinct segment.
On a scale from 1 (not a priority) to 10 (severe hindrance), Buzelis’s inconsistent capturing charges at a 9.
Pre-NBA Setting
Buzelis comes from a deep Lithuanian athletic heritage and can proceed to symbolize Lithuania in future worldwide competitions. He grew up in Chicago and starred in a number of sports activities earlier than turning his focus to basketball (rising to 6-foot-9 will typically try this).
He stood out on highschool groups in Illinois and New Hampshire earlier than transferring to Dawn Christian Academy in Kansas and exploding onto the nationwide recruiting scene. He was a consensus top-10 recruit and no-brainer selection for the McDonald’s All-American workforce. He selected G League Ignite over scholarship affords from a number of high-major packages and performed main minutes with the ball in his arms for a lot of these video games. Nevertheless it’s virtually not possible to inform what sort of participant Buzelis tasks to be from these 26 G League video games, as that workforce not exists. It’s not like these video games got here with quite a lot of stress/stakes connected. They had been showcases – nothing extra.
It has been clear from almost each stage of his improvement that Buzelis could be a major basketball participant. He has all of the instruments within the toolbox – some simply want somewhat bit of additional consideration.
On a scale from 1-10, Buzelis’s pre-NBA profession charges at an 8.5 – he’s clearly a superb participant, however it will have been useful to see him play in some video games that mattered this previous yr.
Preferrred NBA Ecosystem
Thirty NBA groups want the participant Buzelis tasks to be – versatile 6-9 wing with rising ball abilities and defensive upside – however not all of them have the infrastructure to convey his sport into focus.
My private favourite touchdown spot for Buzelis is in San Antonio. He performs a place of serious want for the Spurs and would convey a desperately wanted sprint of playmaking/ball-moving to a Victor Wembanyama-centric franchise. I additionally love the concept of Buzelis roaming on the baseline for weakside shotblocking alternatives when groups are already freaked out by Wembanyama. Plus, the Spurs have a decades-long observe report of serving to gamers uncover/rediscover their soar pictures. It’s a win-win.
Houston would possibly snag him at No. 3 befor the Spurs can get him, nonetheless. Ime Udoka is the type of coach who can convey the very best out of Buzelis, and the roster would click on into place with Buzelis on the small ahead, Jabari Smith at energy ahead, and Alperen Sengun at heart. It’s a flexible, high-IQ group that would develop on roughly the identical developmental curve.
Elsewhere within the lottery, it’s arduous to think about him falling previous No. 7 at Portland. This can be a guard-heavy roster that’s in determined want of frontcourt assist, significantly if the Blazers ship Jerami Grant to a playoff workforce on the commerce deadline.
On a scale from 1-10, Buzelis’s situational dependence is a 9. He has the potential to be the very best participant from this draft class if a couple of issues (particularly his capturing) spherical into form. He wants the precise group/coach to assist make that occur.
