LOS ANGELES — The G League came easy for Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis. He didn’t always have the explosive numbers or the consistency, but he wasn’t treading water by any means.
Summer League came easy for Buzelis. He not only had the numbers and the splash plays, but he caught the eyes of a lot of onlookers who labeled him one of the standouts in Las Vegas.
So is Buzelis’ inconsistent rookie season with the Bulls weighing on him? The losing definitely is, but Buzelis knew his transition to the NBA wasn’t going to be easy.
‘‘I knew it was going to be a tough season,’’ Buzelis, 20, said before the Bulls’ game Monday against the Clippers. ‘‘Once you walk into this league with that mentality that you know it’s going to be tough, you don’t have to be surprised once the toughness arrives or the struggles start. But I think my season is going well. One thing about me is I just want to win games. I want to be a winner.’’
The Bulls share that view. Executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas would like nothing more than to be in charge of the Bulls’ return to dominance.
It’s not even close right now, however.
And what should have Karnisovas and the rest of the front office a bit nervous is that it isn’t as though there’s a bright future showing itself this season, either.
The Bulls have eight players in their rotation 24 years old or younger. Coby White is the best of that crew by a lot, but he is also in the middle of a very tradable contract he has outplayed and is a logical piece to be dealt by next season.
Buzelis, Patrick Williams (23), Josh Giddey (22), Dalen Terry (22), Julian Phillips (21), Talen Horton-Tucker (24) and Jalen Smith (24) are the other players among the 24-and-younger set.
Smith has been solid as a reserve, but that might be his ceiling. Coach Billy Donovan hasn’t even allowed Williams and Giddey to close out tight games lately, and Phillips and Terry have averaged 12.3 and 10.4 minutes in January, respectively.
Horton-Tucker has had some flashes off the bench but will be a free agent after the season and has received no real sign of a commitment from the Bulls.
So much for having young pillars to build around.
If there’s one player who can start changing the narrative, it’s Buzelis. There’s something there underneath all his rawness.
Buzelis not only leads the Bulls in blocks per game, despite averaging less than 13 minutes a game, but he also is looking to bring some flash back to the franchise by agreeing to participate in the dunk contest during All-Star Weekend next month.
Still, there’s obviously a lot of work to be done, as Donovan pointed out.
‘‘The one thing is, he has earned his minutes, which has been a positive,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘He has terrific upside and ability and talent. But he’s young.
‘‘It’s kind of what we were talking about with [Williams]. All these guys get into a situation where when they come into the league at an extremely young age, there’s a pass given on, ‘They’re young. They have to learn.’ And rightfully so. But after a period of time, you have to be able to do this. And with Matas, [it’s] the consistency part from him of understanding the league, understanding personnel, understanding who he’s guarding.
‘‘I’ve been really encouraged with the way he has responded, and I do think he’ll continue to improve. He’s a worker and gets in there and competes. But as a young guy, he has to learn.’’