Overview
- After a 5–0 start, the Bulls have slid through eight losses in nine and sit 20th in defensive rating at 117.9.
- Matas Buzelis has started all 26 games with roughly 13.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, yet his overall impact has been uneven.
- Across the last 11 games entering Wednesday, he shot 22.4% from three and produced a quiet nine points on five attempts against the Pelicans.
- Billy Donovan frames this season as a series of growth tests, noting tougher matchups, occasional late-game benchings such as versus the Cavaliers, and drawing a Joakim Noah comparison.
- Trade chatter centers on veterans Nikola Vučević and Coby White, while reporting indicates Buzelis is viewed as a core piece unlikely to be moved before February.