Pistons Draft Crush - Matas Buzelis?

What would the Detroit Pistons be getting in the G League Ignite Forward at No. 5 overall?

6’10 Forward

19 Years Old (Turns 20 in October)

Sunrise Christian Academy, Currently Playing for G League Ignite

14.1 PPG - 6.6 RPG - 1.9 APG - 0.9 SPG - 1.9 BPG - 2.2 TOPG (31.0 MPG - 34 GP)

46% on 11.8 FGA - 26% on 3.4 3PA - 70% on 2.0 FTA

*Remember to find “Full Season Stats” when looking at G League Ignite players. Some sites, including RealGM, will have them split into “Regular Season” and G League Showcase Cup”*

My Draft Position - Top 7 Pick

*These are my raw, and condensed, scouting report notes from watching multiple games throughout the season*

ARCHETYPE/POTENTIAL ROLE

Versatile forward - potentially even a “big” as his body fills outs - that can dribble, pass and shoot. The player comp that many will see and use when turning on the film is Franz Wagner. Considering the shooting troubles we saw from Wagner this past season this might be a fair HIGH END archetype outcome. He did have a major reputation as a 3-point shooter coming out of high school but did not shoot it well with the Ignite. His feel for the game is better than the negative ASST:TO ratio would lead you to believe and he does offer upside as a secondary/second side creator. Defensively, there are going to be real concerns with the foot speed on the ball against certain matchups but has good length and awesome awareness off the ball which could lead to a high level team defender and even playmaker/disruptor. 

OFFENSE

• I still am in the camp that his floor spacing has to be his superpower

  • The JUMPER FORM looks too good for him to shoot this bad (overall percentage wise)

  • Wanted to include the shooting numbers from high school (last season at Sunrise Christian) compared to Gradey Dick (not that they are the same archetype of player, Buzelis offers more well rounded offensive player, but just to give some perspective)

    • 43% overall from 3 (102 attempts), Dick was 45% on 209 attempts

      • 43% on C&S, Dick was 48%

      • 47% on Unguarded, Dick was 49%

  • I continue to get mixed “reviews” on the jump shot with every person I talk to

• Off the Ball Offense

  • What I do like about him offensively is I think he can do the necessary things off the ball along with some of the potential on ball things

    • Had multiple off ball cuts

• Showing some solid stuff off the bounce and a good feel for the game

  • Doing a little off the dribble

    • If this on ball stuff is real then I am much more intrigued

  • (FROM HS FILM) He does flash some hesitations, pace, jail defenders in ballscreens, etc.

    • I wonder if he is actually strong and explosive enough to take advantage of these things though

  • His calling card to finish around the rim may be using his size, he might be legit 6’10 and if he fills out his frame, with real nuance/creativity/finesse

• I like the passing as a SECONDARY creator a whole lot more than as some sort of jumbo primary creator

  • His shooting gravity should give him driving lanes and if he can finish then I would absolutely trust he can make the right read and pass off of that

DEFENSE

• On the ball defense is a real concern (can he eventually bulk up enough to where the matchups are not such a disadvantage)

  • Gives up straight line drive on first possession of the game

    • Footspeed, lack of, is really showing up right away

  • Can he at least be neutral on the ball because he offers versatility and then makes up for foot speed with length, actives, blocks, etc.?

    • Lots of examples where he may get beat but will give the extra efforts to recover and then contest the shot

• He has really good awareness off the ball and can be impactful here

  • I still like his off ball defensive stuff and should have the size and length to be a quality low man, etc.

    • He has a couple nice blocks in the 1st half of this one

  • Had a couple decent low man recognitions and rotations

    • Has MULTIPLE impactful defensive plays OFF THE BALL

    • I LOVED his off the ball defensive impact AND he has the size and timing to be effective as a low man

*For me, I am factoring in the context of that G League Ignite season and how that messed with these players on both ends of the court. I do give them a little bit of leeway when evaluating the film AND when trying to project them moving forward*

FOR THE PISTONS

I think Buzelis might end up being the most polarizing potential selection at No. 5 (along with Cody Williams) for the Pistons. There is real offensive upside here as a forward who can dribble, pass and shoot. Wes, and others, have even brought up the potential of him playing some small ball “5” minutes. The question is….how well can he actually shoot? The high school numbers at Sunrise Christian Academy were really good but those really regressed his past season with the Ignite. Was this simply a product of that environment (truly not primary creator on that team) and adjusting to the longer 3-point line? A 33-35% (on volume) positional 4/5 is pretty valuable with the other skills he has but if he is below 30%, like this past season, then you are adding another complete non floor spacer to this team. Defensively, he is going to struggle on the ball. His feet our a little heavy BUT he does do a nice job with second efforts and using his length and athleticism to get back in plays and be disruptive. What I have really come around to liking is his off the ball potential. He could be a very good low man rim protector and that’s something this Pistons team has missed since the trade of Jerami Grant. Buzelis is the archetype of player that Detroit could absolutely use, this really comes down to how much you actually believe in the player.

You can read my thoughts (and Wes) on most of the top prospects in a recent post.