Chances of Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau reuniting with favorite player crushed
The New York Knicks made one major roster addition and subtraction this summer and still could sign a player to the 15th roster spot. With Obi Toppin’s departure, New York lacks depth at power forward, but that’s a role Josh Hart is expected to fill.
On Sept. 1, SNY’s Ian Begley wrote that as soon as a few weeks ago, some within the Knicks organization felt “very comfortable” with Hart playing at the four.
Begley added that the idea of Hart being a backup shows that New York likely doesn’t have a strong interest in signing a player to the 15th roster spot. He did mention that as long as Taj Gibson is in the league, he’ll receive consideration from the front office.
Gibson entered the offseason as free agents, and until Friday morning, he was still on the market.
Free agent F Taj Gibson is returning to the Washington Wizards on a one-year, $3.2M contract, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. At 38, this will be Gibson’s 15th NBA season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 15, 2023
Knicks fan favorite Taj Gibson re-signs with Wizards to one-year deal
Taj Gibson will continue to be a key veteran voice in a Wizards locker room that looks far different than it did last season. Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis are gone, and Jordan Poole is in.
Gibson has said that he’d like to be a coach once his playing career ends. He’s an unofficial player-coach in Washington and can still be productive on the court. In the last 2022-23 regular season game he played in, Gibson dropped 14 points (4-of-5 from three), two rebounds, and one assist in 17 minutes against the Knicks.
Maybe down the road, the 38-year-old will make his return to the Garden, but on the coaching staff. If Tom Thibodeau’s still around, the head coach won’t be able to act fast enough to bring on one of his favorite players he’s coached.
Although Gibson’s career started in Chicago in 2009, it’d be a full-circle moment to see Taj back where it began in NYC.