Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis suffered a right ankle injury during an NBA preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 9, 2026.
Buzelis exited the game during the second quarter and did not return.
Right after the first half, the team ruled him out for the rest of the preseason matchup as a precaution, and further evaluations of the ankle sprain’s severity are expected.
“Injury Update: Matas Buzelis (right ankle) is out for the remainder of tonight’s preseason game vs Memphis,” the Bulls wrote on social media.
Chicago Bulls Head Coach Has No Idea Yet Of Matas Buzelis’ Injury
Additionally, Bulls head coach Tiago Splitter said he only knew Buzelis was “sore” after the game.
With 8:52 remaining in the first quarter, Buzelis made a stellar defensive play by blocking a shot by Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells. However, he landed awkwardly and tweaked his ankle, leaving him slow to get up.
He was briefly taken out and walked gingerly to the locker room. Buzelis was able to return to the bench in full uniform and reentered the game shortly after, attempting to play through the discomfort.
With 4:38 remaining in the second quarter, the discomfort proved too much, and he headed back through the tunnel before the team officially ruled him out for the remainder of the night.
Before exiting, he logged 12 minutes of play, finishing the game with 6 points on 3-of-6 shooting, 1 block, and 3 personal fouls. The injury is being treated as a precautionary sideline, though his availability for Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets remains uncertain.
Splitter said he does not know if Buzelis would travel to Denver to play the Nuggets.
Last season, Buzelis emerged as an offensive contributor for the Bulls, averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Matas Buzelis Expresses Something New In His Second NBA Season With The Bulls
Matas Buzelis knew his second season with the Bulls would be different from his rookie season.
Talking on media day, Buzelis is anticipating a more intense second season, which would require greater mental toughness from him.
“It was hard for me. Last year was hard,” Buzelis said. “Sometimes, you got to go through stuff with your life to notice that you want better. Last year was extremely hard. There was no type of rhythm. We didn’t know who was playing. We didn’t know how we were going to play. Now, there is going to be more structure. Everyone is in a role. And you know what you’re going to get every night. You got to go through stuff, and that builds you as a person.”
“Everything is way more intense. I think it’s also my mentality. Every day I’m coming in with an intent to get better. I was doing that last year, but there is always more to fill up your cup. And that’s something I’ve been focusing on: getting better every day, but with the intention to be the best player that I can be.”
For now, Buzelis is expected to continue to recover from the ankle injury as he looks to be available fpr the Bulls on the regular season’s opening night.
Chicago Bulls Provide Update On Matas Buzelis Preseason Injury