Detroit Pistons 2024 NBA Draft Prospect Lands Workout With Top Team

A popular Detroit Pistons draft prospect recently worked out for the Atlanta Hawks.

Matas Buzelis from Sunrise Christian Academy drives to the basket during the GEICO High School Nationals quarterfinal against Montverde at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Thursday, March 30, 2023. Sunrise Wins003 / Andrew West/The News-Press / USA TODAY

Matas Buzelis isn’t just a popular prospect for the Detroit Pistons. While most mock drafts suggest Buzelis is on pace to drop to fifth-overall where the Pistons would select him, the teams ahead of Detroit in the 2024 NBA Draft are considering the NBA G League Ignite forward.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, Buzelis recently wrapped up a workout with the Atlanta Hawks. Considering the Hawks won the lottery, acquiring the top pick, they can simply take the top player on their board without any worries.

While Buzelis’ ceiling seems to be outside of the top three, the Hawks haven’t overlooked him. And neither did several other teams ahead of Detroit.

Per Wasserman, Buzelis paid a visit to the Washington Wizards, San Antonio Spurs, and the Pistons. The Houston Rockets were the only top-five team that didn’t host Buzelis ahead of Wednesday’s draft.

Although Buzelis gained some interest from the Wizards and the Hawks recently, the consensus top picks are Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr. Donovan Clingan has gained some steam as a potential top pick as well.

There’s a little cause for concern if the Pistons are truly sold on Buzelis at No. 5, but they still have a good chance at getting the Chicago-born forward this week.

Coming out of Sunrise Christian Academy two years ago, Buzelis was a top-five prospect, according to ESPN. As a five-star recruit, he landed interest from some of the nation’s top schools.

Buzelis opted to take the pro route in the States instead. He ended up in the NBA G League for the 2023-2024 season, where he faced plenty of ups and downs.

Defensively, Buzelis enters the draft with a strong case attached to his young resume as a pro. Last season, Buzelis averaged over two blocks per game, along with nearly one steal.

As intriguing as his defense is, Buzelis’s offensive effort comes with some questions. From the field, he made 45 percent of his shots. On 3.4 threes attempted per game, Buzelis shot just 27 percent. For a team that’s starved for three-point shooters to surround Cade Cunningham, the struggles from beyond the arc could make the Pistons slightly more hesitant to take him.

But the draft is always risky — and players are never flawless. Buzelis has earned his stripes as a consensus top-six pick. If he falls to five, he could very well be Michigan-bound soon.