Matas Buzelis left Chicago’s preseason game against Memphis on Friday, 9 October, with a right ankle injury, interrupting an important stretch of preparation for one of the Bulls’ young building blocks.
The Bulls’ official game-night update ruled him out for the remainder of the contest. That announcement established his status for the night — not a diagnosis, recovery timetable or absence from the regular season.
Coach Tiago Splitter did not have a clear assessment of the injury after the game. Buzelis was more optimistic, describing soreness and expressing hope that he could join the team for its next preseason outing. His availability remains unconfirmed.
Buzelis tried to continue before leaving
The second-quarter exit followed an earlier incident while Buzelis was defending Memphis guard Jaylen Wells.
According to game reporting published by Yahoo Sports, Buzelis was slow to get up after blocking Wells in the opening quarter. He briefly went to the locker room, returned to the game, then headed back down the tunnel with 4:38 remaining in the second quarter.
RotoWire’s report, citing Chicago Sports Network’s K.C. Johnson, independently confirmed the second-quarter departure and subsequent ruling-out. Buzelis finished with six points on 3-for-6 shooting and one block in 12 minutes.
His initial return is part of the sequence, but it does not establish how serious the injury is. The team’s announcement identified only the right ankle.
Optimism is not clearance for Denver
BasketNews’ account of the post-game comments reported that Splitter knew Buzelis was sore but could not yet say whether he would travel. Heavy’s reporting also described the coach as uncertain about his availability for the Denver trip.
Buzelis, meanwhile, characterised the discomfort as “just a little sore” and said he thought he could be ready for Sunday, according to BasketNews.
Chicago’s next preseason game is against Denver on Sunday, 11 October. The distinction matters: the player’s hope of participating is not a team-confirmed return date. There is no confirmed diagnosis or regular-season absence in the reporting available after the Memphis game.
Another interruption to Chicago’s frontcourt preparation
The Bulls were already working around several frontcourt absences. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Nic Claxton and Zach Collins had been sidelined by hamstring and quadriceps injuries respectively, while Jalen Smith missed the Memphis game with left foot soreness.
Buzelis’ importance extends beyond filling out a preseason rotation. The Sun-Times’ earlier reporting on his partnership with Caleb Wilson identified the two forwards as central pieces of Chicago’s rebuild. These games offer time to develop their fit under Splitter, making any lost preparation relevant even without an established long-term setback.
For fantasy managers, this is a status to monitor rather than evidence for a major change in valuation. The next useful update is whether Buzelis can participate against Denver — and whether Chicago provides a more specific assessment of the ankle.
Comments