The Chicago Bulls' huge gamble and what it really cost them

After the Chicago Bulls failed to make the playoffs again last season, it’s easy to look back and say what they should have done. 

Facing pending free agency, they probably should have traded DeMar DeRozan, which left them a tough decision to make this summer. 

And according to one source, the Bulls also turned down a lucrative offer for Alex Caruso that could have changed the direction of the franchise. 

Did the Chicago Bulls turn down a huge offer for Alex Caruso? 

Will Gottlieb recently reported that sources within the Bulls claim Chicago had a fat offer on the table for Alex Caruso but chose to chase the playoffs instead. 

"The Bulls took calls on Caruso, but never made them. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Bulls have received offers from multiple teams, consisting of multiple protected first-round picks ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline. One of those deals included a pick that ended up in the top-10 of the 2024 Draft, the source said. "

Looking at the top 10 of the Draft, it’s hard to imagine which team might have made that offer, as most of them were terrible and not trying to add a win-now veteran like Caruso. 

I have no idea if this speculation is true, but what is true is that the Bulls definitely turned down offers for both Caruso and DeRozan and then didn’t make the playoffs anyway. 

Turning down multiple draft picks, including a top-10 pick in this draft (if true) is a gamble that could have cost the Bulls a chance for a reset in a couple of different ways.