“I like Matas,” Kevin Durant said, according to a post from K.C. Johnson. “I liked him when he was with G League Ignite. He's long, athletic, can shoot it. He's definitely going to have some bumps and bruises as he gets through his first few years in the league trying to figure things out.”

Buzelis feels like the ROY race is still there for the taking, but he also knows that winning games will bring more of a spotlight on him. In case he forgets that, coach Billy Donovan will give him daily reminders.

I could definitely make a run for it,” Matas Buzelis said of the Rookie of the Year Award. He’s getting more starts in the wake of the Zach LaVine trade.