Taj Gibson, who has spent significant time with the New York Knicks, may be done in the NBA. Despite spending last season with the Charlotte Hornets, he has yet to be picked back up. And with Tom Thibodeau no longer leading the way in New York, they may not pick him up like they have at times in the past.
Despite spending the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls, the place where he began his NBA journey, he played three seasons with New York from 2019 to 2022. He then began the 2023-24 campaign with the Knicks, got waived, played two 10-day contracts with them, and then signed on with the Detroit Pistons.
But now, Gibson’s time on NBA roster may be coming to a close.
What did Taj Gibson bring to the Knicks?
When Gibson joined the Knicks in 2019, it was toward the tail end of his career, as he was 34 years old during his first season in The Big Apple. But he still played solid rotation minutes for the Knicks.
Then, by the time he got back to New York during the 2023-24 campaign, he was playing a (primarily) veteran leadership role. He hasn’t played big minutes (at least 20 per game) since his first stint with the Knicks.
Throughout the course of his career, Gibson appeared in 175 games with the Knicks, playing 17.6 minutes per contest. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 56.7% from the floor.
Despite spending that many games and seasons with the Knicks, he only made the playoffs in one season (2020-21). He appeared in five games and was a key contributor, playing 27.6 minutes per contest.
His prime years came with the Bulls, but he played his most minutes when he followed Thibodeau to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gibson peaked in regard to playing time when he played 33.2 minutes per contest during the 2017-18 season in Minnesota. He appeared in all 82 games.
At 40 years old, Gibson is one of the oldest players in the NBA, and it would make plenty of sense for him to retire following his one season with the Hornets.
At 6-foot-9, Gibson went from playing power forward to center, depending on the team and situation he was playing in. He was an important veteran leader, rotation player, and voice in almost every locker room he was a part of.
But now, it seems as though it could be the end of the road for Gibson.