Bulls pick Matas Bozlis continues youth movement

Submitted by National Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich

The Bulls did not draft Cooper Flagg on Wednesday.

But they have increased their ability to put themselves in a position to do so. And by selecting Matas Pozlis with the 11th pick in the first round of the two-day NBA draft, they continued the potential rebuilding management could undertake as a re-tool that began with trading Alex Caruso last week for Josh Guede.

Make no mistake: Not only is Zach LaVine available for trade, the Bulls are open for business as well. And with the buzz growing that DeMar DeRozan will be somewhere else next season, either via sign, trade or simply walking into unrestricted free agency, competitiveness is no longer the buzzword.

It’s Cooper.

The Bulls need to finish in the bottom 10 next season to keep the protected first-round pick they owe to the San Antonio Spurs in their sign-and-trade acquisition of DeRozan starting in August 2021. This is the month in which Artūras Karnišovas and his staff reshaped the Bulls. With vision that led the Eastern Conference until Lonzo Ball’s left knee required the first of multiple surgeries.

Management, having already spent a rebuild centered on Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. and others I inherited upon their hiring, tried to remain competitive after one playoff season. Instead, the Bulls have failed to make it out of the Play In Tournament in two straight seasons.

And now, with the addition of a dynamic guard with upside in Jedi, the draft of a 19-year-old in Matas Pozlis and all signs pointing to the Bulls re-signing Patrick Williams in restricted free agency, a youth movement could be in full swing.

The Bulls liked Ron Holland II, according to sources, who went to the Detroit Pistons with the fifth overall pick. But Bozlis was widely expected to leave the Bulls at the 11th hour.^y He chooses.

In fact, after having talks to move up in the draft with Donovan Clingan as a potential target or go back with another local kid, Terrence Shannon Jr., as a possibility, the Bulls fully expected someone high on their draft board to be available at the No. 11 spot.

That person is Buzelis, a 6-foot-9 forward who was born and raised in Chicago, played for Hinsdale Central for a year and played for the G League Ignite team last season.

Buzelis spoke to NBC Sports Chicago in March about hypothetically playing for the Bulls.

“I would feel good about that,” he said at the time. “Hometown Champion! It would be fun to play for Chicago. I used to just watch them when I was younger, watching Derrick Rose play. It would be a drug experience. … We would go to games often when the Grizzlies played because one of my father’s clients, who He works with him, he plays for the Grizzlies.”

Providence guard Devin Carter, long linked to the Bulls, was available. Given that he is expected to be more interactive than Buzelis, it’s another sign the Bulls are playing the long game here.

“I’m ready to work,” Buzelis told ESPN Radio.

There will be big opportunities in what has suddenly become a youth movement with Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Dalen Terry and Julian Phillips also on the roster.

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