Bulls pick up 2027-28 options on Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue

The Chicago Bulls have exercised the fourth-year option on Matas Buzelis’ rookie scale contract and the third-year option on Noa Essengue’s rookie scale deal, the team announced in a press release. Both options are for the 2027-28 season.

Buzelis, the No. 11 pick in the 2024 draft, averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks in 29.2 minutes per game last season. The 6-foot-8 forward started all 77 games he played in his second year, shooting .463 from the field, .349 from three and .786 from the line. He will make about $5.72 million this season, and his option for 2027-28 is worth about $7.58 million. Chicago’s next decision on the 22-year-old comes in the 2027 offseason, when it will have to decide whether to sign him to a rookie scale extension.

Essengue, the No. 12 pick in the 2025 draft, missed nearly his entire rookie season after left shoulder surgery. The 19-year-old Frenchman played six minutes in two games in November before his season ended. He was benched during Summer League in July for not playing with the aggressiveness and effort that new head coach Tiago Splitter wanted to see. He will earn about $5.7 million this season and is now assured his full $5.97 million salary in 2027-28. The Bulls will have to decide by this time next year whether to pick up his $8.23 million option for 2028-29.

Rookie scale option decisions for 2027-28 are due by November 2.