Matas Buzelis - 2024 NBA Draft Prospect

[exstatic]

GG Jackson has already been suspended by the Grizzlies. He called out his coach on Instagram in college. His teammates hated him. The team was far better without him this year than when he was there. He was a during workouts with teams. What happened this year is a miracle that has more to do with Taylor Jenkins than Jackson himself and I would be less than surprised to see Jackson out of the league before long judging by his history.

That aside, your take that "bad character makes good players and we should go for bad character" is the definition of a logical fallacy.

The miracle was that nearly everyone on that roster was injured or stupid (Ja). You do actually want character guys if your plan is for a championship. Guys like GG tend to crack under pressure because they’re all hat and no cattle, so to speak. Someone was pimping DLo as an option this summer, saying he wasn’t showing his dumb side this year, and I’m thinking, “He will, and probably at a bad time”.

[BatManu20]

Finally a Matas thread lol. This kid was projected as the #1 overall pick in this draft last June. Then he went to the G League ignite where prospects go to die and had a pretty underwhelming season where his 3-point shooting fell off a cliff. The physical tools are there to be a really solid wing/big hybrid Swiss-army knife type player who can do a little bit of everything offensively and defend at a high level. He's better as a weak-side defender right now, but he's got the size and length to turn himself into a solid 1-on-1 defender with the right coaching despite a lack of foot speed imo.

Similar to Castle, the question is whether or not the shooting will ever come around. Much like Castle, Matas shot the 3-ball significantly better his last year in high school before shooting only 27% from 3 this season on 3.5 attempts per game. His form on his jumper looks pretty clean and fluid without any weird hitches or significant mechanical issues, which is good. Shot only 68% from the foul line though which is a bit of a concern.

Hard to tell if playing for the Ignite just really hindered him as a player as it has for other prospects and he's closer to the prospect he was coming out of high school, or if this season gave us a closer glimpse into the player he's going to be long term.

Player comp: Franz Wagner

[exstatic]

Finally a Matas thread lol. This kid was projected as the #1 overall pick in this draft last June. Then he went to the G League ignite where prospects go to die and had a pretty underwhelming season where his 3-point shooting fell off a cliff. The physical tools are there to be a really solid wing/big hybrid Swiss-army knife type player who can do a little bit of everything offensively and defend at a high level. He's better as a weak-side defender right now, but he's got the size and length to turn himself into a solid 1-on-1 defender with the right coaching despite a lack of foot speed imo.

Similar to Castle, the question is whether or not the shooting will ever come around. Much like Castle, Matas shot the 3-ball significantly better his last year in high school before shooting only 27% from 3 this season on 3.5 attempts per game. His form on his jumper looks pretty clean and fluid without any weird hitches or significant mechanical issues, which is good. Shot only 68% from the foul line though which is a bit of a concern.

Hard to tell if playing for the Ignite just really hindered him as a player as it has for other prospects and he's closer to the prospect he was coming out of high school, or if this season gave us a closer glimpse into the player he's going to be long term.

Player comp: Franz Wagner

That’s a terrible comp, and he’s not even as well rounded as Castle.

[Mr. Body]

Seems like a lot of smoke about Buzelis rising.

I... liked him watching the couple Ignite games. Like, you see a mobile and pretty active player. Good size and mobility. Just, poking around more I'm just like, alright? I had him in my four or five dudes I'd like in this lottery, back before the draw and cementing the second pick. I don't think I've changed. Don't have character concerns with him at all, seems like a dorky kid who acts his age. Calling for a duel with Risacher was cringe, but okay. I don't know if he realizes what it takes at the next level yet.

In this draft he's a perfectly okay pick. I'm probably with those who doubt his upside. I'd have to think about whether I'd take him or Risacher if it was between them. Probably Risacher.

[exstatic]

Seems like a lot of smoke about Buzelis rising.

I... liked him watching the couple Ignite games. Like, you see a mobile and pretty active player. Good size and mobility. Just, poking around more I'm just like, alright? I had him in my four or five dudes I'd like in this lottery, back before the draw and cementing the second pick. I don't think I've changed. Don't have character concerns with him at all, seems like a dorky kid who acts his age. Calling for a duel with Risacher was cringe, but okay. I don't know if he realizes what it takes at the next level yet.

In this draft he's a perfectly okay pick. I'm probably with those who doubt his upside. I'd have to think about whether I'd take him or Risacher if it was between them. Probably Risacher.

What smoke? It was stated that SA has worked out ZERO Ignite players, and Matas is in that group.

[Mr. Body]

What smoke? It was stated that SA has worked out ZERO Ignite players, and Matas is in that group.

Smoke in general. I didn't mean about the Spurs.

[mo7888]

Buzelis sits atop my big board, but he's nowhere near the prospect Jabari was. I'm optimistic that Buzelis does have an above average shooting touch in him, and I do see his floor higher than some give him credit for... but if the shot never comes around he won't live up to a Top 5 pick... but you can say something similar for this entire class.

He's been top 2 with Risacher on my Spurs board for quite some time. I go back and forth on whether to have him #1 or #2. I think Risacher has a more defined future, but Matas has more upside.

[Splits]

[Splits]

idk what it is but this guy just screams bust to me

Because he will bust. "his shot looks good" yet he was 26% from 3 and under 70% from the line? Please gmafb.

He is #1 on my big board.... to avoid drafting. Just in front of Salaun.

[BatManu20]

That’s a terrible comp, and he’s not even as well rounded as Castle.

How is that a terrible comp..? That's literally his most popular player comp among draft websites . They have almost identical measurables and both are Swiss-army type 3-4 hybrids who can do a little bit of everything but don't excel at any one thing. Both have questions regarding their shooting. Wagner is a better passer and playmaker, but there's definitely similarities in their games and physical profiles. It's definitely not a "terrible" comp.

And I never said Castle wasn't a more well-rounded player. I said they both shot better in HS than they did in their respective leagues this season. I've been pretty vocal on here about how much I like Castle. He's the guy I want at 4.

[BatManu20]

That hair though.

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[exstatic]

How is that a terrible comp..? That's literally his most popular player comp among draft websites . They have almost identical measurables and both are Swiss-army type 3-4 hybrids who can do a little bit of everything but don't excel at any one thing. Both have questions regarding their shooting. Wagner is a better passer and playmaker, but there's definitely similarities in their games and physical profiles. It's definitely not a "terrible" comp.

And I never said Castle wasn't a more well-rounded player. I said they both shot better in HS than they did in their respective leagues this season. I've been pretty vocal on here about how much I like Castle. He's the guy I want at 4.

Wagner was a deadeye shooter, both FTs and 3 ball for two years playing a higher level of ball, and was a high level connector and defender who played NCAA ball for two years, and was still almost the same age as Matas is now. It’s a lazy comp, because the only things the have in common are that they’re European, tall, and white. If you don’t believe me, run the player comp on TaT.

[spurraider21]

Wagner was a deadeye shooter, both FTs and 3 ball for two years playing a higher level of ball, and was a high level connector and defender who played NCAA ball for two years, and was still almost the same age as Matas is now. It’s a lazy comp, because the only things the have in common are that they’re European, tall, and white. If you don’t believe me, run the player comp on TaT.

im going to start a pe ion to ban the TaT player profiles for use on spurstalk

[exstatic]

im going to start a pe ion to ban the TaT player profiles for use on spurstalk

The comps tool is useful. Playing at a higher level, Wagner still has almost all of the green dots. His net rating was almost +30.

[spurraider21]

The comps tool is useful. Playing at a higher level, Wagner still has almost all of the green dots. His net rating was almost +30.

how the dots are assigned isnt very interesting to me. they're not based on evaluations or scouting. they plug in box score stats and a computer spits out how many dots per category they get. its a way to compare their pre-nba statistical production, not their nba projections

they dont even put any weight into their own green and red dots. risacher's only green category is draft age, and then its a lot of red. yet on their big board of actual ranking of prospects, they have him #1

[exstatic]

how the dots are assigned isnt very interesting to me. they're not based on evaluations or scouting. they plug in box score stats and a computer spits out how many dots per category they get. its a way to compare their pre-nba statistical production, not their nba projections

they dont even put that much weight into their own green and red dots. risacher's only green category is draft age, and then its a lot of red. yet on their big board of actually ranking prospects, they have him #1

No, I’m talking about the comp dots. The comp tool runs all of the counting and analytics stats side by side, and the better player in any category gets the green dot. Wagner smoked him on all but a few of the counting stats.

[spurraider21]

No, I’m talking about the comp dots. The comp tool runs all of the counting and analytics stats side by side, and the better player in any category gets the green dot. Wagner smoked him on all but a few of the counting stats.

same story. you are just spitting out numbers of pre-nba production and comparing them. its not a projection.

many of the advanced stats they use, like off rating, def rating, and all the win share stats, are largely influenced by the team they play on. a player like buzelis on a miserable team that doesnt rack up wins wont have opportunities to earn win shares. a player like buzelis on a team regularly outclassed by its compe ion will be more likely to wind up with poor off/def ratings. always remember carlos boozer having a great defensive rating when on Thibs bulls

[Mr. Body]

How is that a terrible comp..? That's literally his most popular player comp among draft websites . They have almost identical measurables and both are Swiss-army type 3-4 hybrids who can do a little bit of everything but don't excel at any one thing. Both have questions regarding their shooting. Wagner is a better passer and playmaker, but there's definitely similarities in their games and physical profiles. It's definitely not a "terrible" comp.

And I never said Castle wasn't a more well-rounded player. I said they both shot better in HS than they did in their respective leagues this season. I've been pretty vocal on here about how much I like Castle. He's the guy I want at 4.

Are people comparing Castle to Buzelis much? Maybe in terms of shooting. In terms of everything else, they're very different players. There may be some confusion about whether Castle is a wing (he's not), which means they play and use similar areas of the court, but they don't.

Castle is at worst a combo guard who can use picks and other actions to get free and see the floor, he's an exceptional on-ball perimeter defender, and he has shown to understand the game at a high level in terms of rotations, cuts, variations in the playbook, and how to use them. He's much more of a playmaker than Buzelis is.

Buzelis is a wing who leans more toward a PF who operates largely from the sides of the court or the post. He's a great straight-line driver (better than Castle), good shotblocker, good rebounder, not a good playmaker, will not be able to use picks or actions to get free and see the floor, etc. Not to ding him, but he played in a league with no coaching on a bad team.

They're completely different players.

[AFBlue]

I like the point in the write up about whether he can realistically spread out to the wing, so he doesn't conflict with Sochan. If the Spurs believe he can, I'd place decent odds on him being in play at 4. If not, I just don't see it unless he falls to 8. And with the Pistons, Hornets and Blazers behind them, I don't think he falls.