Matas Buzelis left Friday's preseason game against the Grizzlies in the second quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return. The Bulls now list him day-to-day, with Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson reporting he finished with six points and one block in 12 minutes before exiting.
What happened
Buzelis went down with a right ankle injury in the second quarter of Friday's preseason game against the Grizzlies and did not return, the Chicago Bulls' official injury report shows. The report, updated Friday at 9:29 PM ET, lists him as Day-To-Day with no prior status on file. K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network reported that Buzelis headed to the locker room and would not play again Friday. He finished with six points on 3-for-6 shooting, including 0-for-2 from three, and one block in 12 minutes before leaving.
What it means for the Bulls
Last season, Buzelis averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.2 minutes across 77 games, production the Bulls lean on in their rotation. With him out, Chicago has leaned on Josh Giddey (32.1 minutes, 17.0 points), Coby White (29.1 minutes, 18.6 points) and Jaden Ivey (28.9 minutes, 11.5 points) for extended run in box scores without him on the floor. The Bulls have not played a regular-season game yet in 2026-27, so there is no record with or without Buzelis to measure. Friday's game against the Grizzlies was part of the preseason schedule, and no further matchup is set beyond it.
What to watch
The Bulls' official injury report listed an expected return date of Oct. 11 for Buzelis, though that has not been confirmed as his actual return. The next update will come when the team issues its following injury report. Chicago's report also lists five other players as Day-To-Day: Tre Jones (hip), Jalen Smith (foot), Jaylin Sellers (back), Zach Collins (toe) and Nic Claxton (hamstring), so the rotation could keep shifting in the preseason.
Is Matas Buzelis playing vs Grizzlies?
No. Buzelis left Friday's preseason game against the Grizzlies in the second quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return.
When will Matas Buzelis be back?
The Bulls' injury report lists an expected return date of Oct. 11, 2026, but no additional confirmation has been announced.