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I like how the narrative with Buzelis evolves. Main concern for NBA GMs who have top 1-2 picks is that Buzelis is not exactly yet a guy who has enough aggression to be indisputable No1 go to guy. He is very much a flexible guy who can take it over if needed, but also feels completely fine being complimentary piece (star) on the roster. I think eventually he may make that next step and become more selfish which you have to be if you want to be franchise player, he's definitely not Sedekerskis mentality wise, he wants to score, but essentially Buzelis is Lithuanian 
He just has team culture in his blood and you can't fake it, you can't rule out as a natural advantage. IMO, this makes his upside even more intriguing. He has some pedigree of players like Bird, Lebron. Americans are beasts in terms of scoring, but they lack players who combine great scoring with great facilitation (and team culture in various ways like team help, rotation without the ball et cetera). Buzelis has a chance to combine both of these things and to be superior of merely scoring machines which NBA have plenty. As NT fan, I have a feeling Buzelis won't need the transition that Iggy needed, he needed one year of harsh school to at least start to get it EL and NBA BB. Brazdeikis per blood is pure Lithuanian, but per game style pure American. Buzelis, IMO, will come to the NT and play fundamentally sound basketball from day one. That's in his blood and he has no issues to fill all sort of things on the court. And yet he can be No.1 option who can go hardcore with the ball in his hands. Essentially I think it's beneficial for him to drop lower than No.1 pick. Less pressure and still elite environment and conditions to develop if you're at least top 8 pick. This review is very spot on on Matas situation ATM:
Matas Buzelis, G-League Ignite
Matas Buzelis will benefit from a healthy presence of NBA scouts at every G-League Ignite game. He is a featured presence on a talented roster and his name has hovered around the No. 1 conversation for years at this point. It's not difficult to understand why: he's a 6-foot-9 guard with genuine playmaking equity.
The NBA loves positional size and versatility. Buzelis projects as a player who can defend three or four positions at his peak. He's not traditionally explosive, but he's extremely fluid and he possesses impressive feel. That last bit is always important when projecting toward the next level. Buzelis knows how to play the game and his role is scalable depending on team needs.
The primary hangup with Buzelis is his approach. He shoots well enough and he's a skilled finisher at the rim. He makes strong decisions, he thrives pushing the tempo in transition, and he's equally comfortable stationed away from the ball. He regularly makes his presence felt as a cutter, spot-up shooter, and connective passer. The 3s look good and there is upside tied to Buzelis' mid-range pull-up game, but he's simply not aggressive enough. His handle can get a bit loose when he operates in traffic and he doesn't profile as a true No. 1 option yet.
Obviously, most top picks are expected to play more than second-fiddle. If the right team lands in the No. 1 spot — one that values Buzelis' chameleonic attributes and ability to play within a structure — then it may not matter, but other teams will want to see Buzelis take another leap as a self-creator and offensive alpha as the Ignite's season unfolds.
He just has team culture in his blood and you can't fake it, you can't rule out as a natural advantage. IMO, this makes his upside even more intriguing. He has some pedigree of players like Bird, Lebron. Americans are beasts in terms of scoring, but they lack players who combine great scoring with great facilitation (and team culture in various ways like team help, rotation without the ball et cetera). Buzelis has a chance to combine both of these things and to be superior of merely scoring machines which NBA have plenty. As NT fan, I have a feeling Buzelis won't need the transition that Iggy needed, he needed one year of harsh school to at least start to get it EL and NBA BB. Brazdeikis per blood is pure Lithuanian, but per game style pure American. Buzelis, IMO, will come to the NT and play fundamentally sound basketball from day one. That's in his blood and he has no issues to fill all sort of things on the court. And yet he can be No.1 option who can go hardcore with the ball in his hands. Essentially I think it's beneficial for him to drop lower than No.1 pick. Less pressure and still elite environment and conditions to develop if you're at least top 8 pick. This review is very spot on on Matas situation ATM:Matas Buzelis, G-League Ignite
Matas Buzelis will benefit from a healthy presence of NBA scouts at every G-League Ignite game. He is a featured presence on a talented roster and his name has hovered around the No. 1 conversation for years at this point. It's not difficult to understand why: he's a 6-foot-9 guard with genuine playmaking equity.
The NBA loves positional size and versatility. Buzelis projects as a player who can defend three or four positions at his peak. He's not traditionally explosive, but he's extremely fluid and he possesses impressive feel. That last bit is always important when projecting toward the next level. Buzelis knows how to play the game and his role is scalable depending on team needs.
The primary hangup with Buzelis is his approach. He shoots well enough and he's a skilled finisher at the rim. He makes strong decisions, he thrives pushing the tempo in transition, and he's equally comfortable stationed away from the ball. He regularly makes his presence felt as a cutter, spot-up shooter, and connective passer. The 3s look good and there is upside tied to Buzelis' mid-range pull-up game, but he's simply not aggressive enough. His handle can get a bit loose when he operates in traffic and he doesn't profile as a true No. 1 option yet.
Obviously, most top picks are expected to play more than second-fiddle. If the right team lands in the No. 1 spot — one that values Buzelis' chameleonic attributes and ability to play within a structure — then it may not matter, but other teams will want to see Buzelis take another leap as a self-creator and offensive alpha as the Ignite's season unfolds.
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