NBA
The Chicago Bulls exercised Matas Buzelis’ 2026-27 team option
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated57 mins ago on October 03, 2025
Last season, the Chicago Bulls finished with a 39-43 record. That was ninth in the Eastern Conference. Chicago has missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. Additionally, they’ve missed the postseason in seven of the last eight years.
The Bulls are eager to get over the hump and become serious contenders in the East. That’s easier said than done in the NBA. One player Chicago is high on is second-year pro Mata Buzelis. He was named second-team All-Rookie in 2024-25. Recently, NBA insider Keith Smith reported that the Bulls exercised Buzelis’ 2026-27 team option.
Matas Buzelis could take another step forward in year two
Bulls Exercise 26-27 Team Option For Matas Buzelis https://t.co/ZUQ9VKsg6a
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 3, 2025
With the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Bulls selected Matas Buzelis. As a rookie, he played in 80 games and made 31 starts for Chicago. Over the first 45 games of his first season, Buzelis was still adjusting to the NBA. He averaged 5.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Additionally, he was shooting just .386% from the field in the 45-game stretch. However, Matas Buzelis bounced back in the second half of the season for Chicago.
Over his final 35 games of the season, Buzelis started to show why he was a lottery pick by the Bulls. The rookie averaged 13.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. His production improved drastically for the Bulls, and that earned Buzelis a spot in the starting lineup. He came off the bench for his first 49 games and has started every game since. Expect Buzelis to be a starter for Chicago in 2025-26.
Matas Buzelis WILL be an Allstar.
It’s not a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN pic.twitter.com/Hdd7GC3ogS
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) September 30, 2025
Recently, the team exercised its third-year team option for Matas Buzelis. He is now under contract with he team through the 2026-27 season. Buzelis is set to make $5.46 million in 2025-25 and $5.72 million in 2026-27. The Bulls have until November 2 to decide if they want to pick up the fourth-year option in 2027-28. That would be worth $7.58 million.
Barring a major falloff from Buzeliz, expect the young forward to be a key piece for the Bulls moving forward. They could pick up his fourth-year option and still sign the soon-to-be 21-year-old to a long-term deal. Mataz Buzelis is the second player from the 2025 draft class to have their third-year option picked up. Based on his current contract, Buzelis would be eligible for a long-term deal during the 2027 offseason. Chicago hopes the former lottery pick can develop into an all-star small forward.
