Bulls Rejected No. 13 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft for Alex Caruso, Per Report

The Chicago Bulls reportedly turned down a trade offer from the Sacramento Kings that would've seen Alex Caruso head to Sacramento for the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Chicago ultimately turned around and swapped Caruso with Josh Giddey in a one-for-one deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic , the Kings and Bulls were close to a trade that would have sent pick No. 13 and possibly more to Chicago before the Giddy move was made.

"The Kings already tried to use it for a significant roster upgrade. They were close to a trade for defensive ace Alex Caruso last week, according to league sources, offering the No. 13 pick to Chicago as the key chip. The Bulls, to the surprise of many within the league, instead opted to send Caruso to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey."

- Anthony Slater and Sam Amick

With some polarizing opinions on the Caruso-Giddey trade and many thinking the Bulls lost that trade , the idea that Chicago turned down a top-15 pick in the upcoming draft might make it an even tougher pill to swallow. The report from Slater indicated that many within the NBA were surprised by the Bulls' move, which just rubs salt into that wound.

Chicago already holds the 11th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, so many of the prospects they could consider at No. 11 will possibly be there at 13, too. From Devin Carter to Terrence Shannon Jr. and everyone in between, it's always attractive to have young, controllable talent on rookie contracts. Meanwhile, Giddey has one year remaining on his deal and will be up for an extension as a restricted free agent.

To be fair, Giddey is just one season removed from averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on 48.2% shooting from the field. He is also just 21 and comes with a lot more polish than any prospect could.

Maybe this is an example of Chicago trying to "retool" instead of rebuild. Still, any time multiple trade offers are reported, there will always be comparisons. Here's hoping the Bulls chose correctly.

Related: Why the Bulls Lost the Alex Caruso-Josh Giddey Trade

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