According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Taj Gibson is signing with the Memphis Grizzlies. Gibson, who is currently 40 years old, has been in the NBA since the 2009-10 season. He played three straight years of basketball with the New York Knicks from 2019 to 2022, and then returned to New York in 2023-24 for half a season.
Gibson was on the Chicago Bulls for the majority of his career, having spent eight seasons there, before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. The veteran big man has played for seven different franchises, and the Grizzlies will be his eighth.
In a move almost nobody expected, Gibson is back in the NBA.
Former Knicks big man Taj Gibson just signed with Grizzlies
Gibson played NBA basketball last season. He signed on board with the Charlotte Hornets for the 2024-25 campaign, but it was mostly to be a veteran presence.
He only appeared in 37 games for them, starting 11 and playing 11.1 minutes per contest. Gibson averaged 2.9 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 49.5% from the field.
The return: Taj Gibson has agreed on a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. At 40 years old, Gibson is back in the NBA for his 17th season – a big man regarded as a consummate leader and professional over his career. pic.twitter.com/Zo9mQ5KoL7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2026
That said, in his heyday, he was an absolute force at the big man position for the Bulls. Gibson was an integral part to the Derrick Rose-led Bulls teams that dominated the East in the 2010s. He holds career averages of 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds on 51.7% shooting from the floor.
While with the Knicks, Gibson reunited with his long-time coach, Tom Thibodeau. In fact, Gibson almost followed Thibodeau around the league. He played under him in Chicago, New York, and in between those stops, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Signing with the Grizzlies is a very interesting move for the Grizzlies, though it doesn’t seem all that dissimilar from him inking a deal with the Hornets last year.
The Grizzlies are entering a new rebuild. They traded Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline, and it seems plausible that they could find a way to trade Ja Morant this offseason.
Adding a veteran presence like Gibson for the remainder of this season could be a great way to help the young guys in Memphis learn and grow.
Players like Cedric Coward and Zach Edey could use a mentor to help guide them as they find their footing at the NBA level.
And with the injury issues Memphis has dealt with at times this season, Gibson may even get the chance to suit up for them down the stretch.