Money is not free. The Knicks probably had to turn this sentence around before releasing Taj Gibson. It is after three years spent in the Big Apple that the announcement comes. Decision probably difficult to accept for coach Tom Thibodeau, a big fan of the abilities of a good blue-collar soldier with good shadow work that he has trained almost all the time since his rookie year in 2010.
The end of a great story or just the announcement that Tom Thibodeau will no longer be at the Knicks next season? Well, we won’t be gullible enough to take the second option, so let’s take the first. Taj Gibson – for those snoring at the back of the class – is a player that many teams would love to have in their ranks. Why ? Well, we’re talking about a guy who can go play as a pivot as well as a strong winger, who will do the job for you honestly and without flinching, all this without really considering the playing time granted. You see, the kind of bar gold that any team with serious pretensions would like to have on their bench to rest the starting pivot without worrying about the solidity of their racquet. Tom Thibodeau, he understood all that perfectly, and from the spring of 2010. Landed in May to replace Vinny Del Negro, Tom was immediately charmed by the profile of the young Taj. Behind Joakim Noah, he takes his minutes and does not complain, then will take advantage of a 2015-16 season to start 55 games. oh beautiful bromance coaching player. A story that will not be limited to Chicago. Thanked in 2016, Thibodeau manages to bring Gibson into his new Wolves team from 2017. Rebelotte with the Knicks in 2020. Here is something that helps quite a bit to capture all the coach’s affection for his player.
Taj Gibson plans to sign with the Washington Wizards once he clears waivers on Sunday, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Gibson was released today by New York and would give Washington an accomplished veteran big man.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2022
But all of that is over. Why ? Case of monies, as Pablo Escobar would say. The subject of the summer at the Bockers? Jalen Brunson. We are talking about a contract of nearly 104 million over four years, an amount that involves making financial choices so that the global cap space does not take too big a hit in the ganache. The contract has not yet been signed, so the key word is anticipation. In these cases, small contracts are often sacrificed. In this game of musical chairs, Taj Gibson loses this time. His $5.2 million 2022-23 year was not guaranteed, so it was actually quite easy for New York to claw back some cash on that.. With pivots like Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims, the rotation is also complete in NY… from there, there was little doubt about Gib’s future. There is no question of worrying about Taj either, since the latter should – according to Shams Charania of The Athletic – land at the Wizards next season. The amount is not yet known, but the Sorcerers will make a great operation whatever happens with a pure worker at a smart price.
The end of a nice story? At 37 in any case, the chances of seeing Taj Gibson and Tom Thibodeau together are very slim. The player can, even if he leaves, be proud of one thing. He leaves by giving a final boost to his coach, since this will bring a talented young player into his squad.
Source : Twitter @ShamsCharania
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