Bulls Pick Up Matas & Noa’s Options + Caleb ROY Prediction & Opening Night REALITY CHECK

So, Madis Muzelis and Noah Essenge get their options picked up.

So now, what do they need to prove? I think when you look at this, these are two completely different types of questions for players.

For Madis, it's how much responsibility can you show that you can eventually carry? Are you a 1A, a 1B, a 2? Like, what does that end up being? Do you end up looking like a player that could be the third best player on a really good team? Which, I know some Bulls fans will complain about if that ends up being the case, but that's still a pretty damn good player around the NBA if you're even able to show yourself to be that.

So I think that that's what you look at for.

For Noah Essenge, it's what responsibility can we reliably give him? We still don't know exactly who Noah Essenge is as a player.

I do think this preseason under Tiago Splitter, he's looked more like a defensive specialist, whereas offense could come around as he grows and develops, which is still perfectly fine.

So let's talk about this.

First, what did what? what did chicago actually do fourth year option for modest buzellas is going to be around 7.58 million dollars in the 2028 20 or 27 28 season that's next year he will be eligible for a contract extension next summer as well they don't have to wait to the end of his rookie contract to extend him so you know if modest buzellas shows and does have that leap this year he could get a contract extension this upcoming year and so you know the potential rookie extension conversations that's going to be a big thing kind of hanging over what his season could look like for Noah Essengate they picked up his third year option which is approximately 5.97 million dollars heading into the 2027-28 season as well so Chicago's are going to have to eventually decide whether to pick up you know the 8.23 fourth year option for Noah Essengate you know and they'll have to decide that based off what they see from him this year and in the summer how they feel about his progress So let's start with Noah because I do think kind of everybody kind of knows what they want Modest to show this season.

Hell, when your head coach says we want you to be one of the players to dictate this offense, that kind of shows it.

For Noah Essengay, it's all about giving Tiago and the Bulls something that they can start trusting.

He doesn't need to become a star this season.

Hell, I'll say this.

He doesn't even need to become a starter this season.

He doesn't even need his offense to be solid this season.

But it's just simply about what can you do each and every night that we can rely on and that we can bet on.

I think the priority number one for Noah Essengay is just learn, to deal with physicality better.

Can he hold his ground? There are some really encouraging signs in preseason, which is good.

He was boxing out consistently.

He was, you know, sometimes getting through contact, but, you know, that's the offensive side of it.

It's just the defense that I'm looking for.

At this level, everybody in the NBA has some form of athleticism.

Physicality is where young athletic players sometimes discover, oh, Hey, these dudes is hitting back.

So now that's how you have to adjust to it, right? I think priority number two for Noah Essengate is just his defensive positioning.

The length that he has is great.

The athleticism that he has is great.