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New York Knicks got off to a good start and their final move to sign a great man Taj Gibson is yet another smart move from Leon Rose.
Gibson, who was born and raised near Brooklyn, is a highly respected vet who played for the Knicks last season. So the core members of the franchise love Rj barrett and Mitchell robinson already know Gibson, a confident and familiar face to these players.
Most importantly, Gibson brings several years of experience playing under the direction of the Knicks head coach. Tom thibodeau – including scopes from 2010 to 2015 on the Chicago Bulls and from 2017 to 2017 on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For a team loaded with young players, a longtime ‘Thibs guy’ like Gibson can lend a helping hand as a translator in the famous intense coach’s locker room. It can also serve as an extension of the coach when he is on the ground, given the expertise he brings to know the philosophies and rhythms of a Thibodeau team.
Tom Thibodeau coached Taj Gibson for seven seasons combined with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. Thibs has always praised Gibson as a pro on and off the court. https://t.co/BlHPkB1HF6
– Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 7, 2021
Following injuries to Obi toppin and Nerlens Noel, the Knicks had an incredibly thin frontcourt. In response, great man Julius Randle is currently the league leader in minutes per game and has played over 60 percent of possible minutes for New York. Thibodeau is infamous for wearing down his players with too much playing time and Gibson can offer some relief to Randle as the season progresses.
Realistically, even if the vet doesn’t bring a ton of long-term value to the roster with his game, you still know what to expect when Gibson is in the field. Thibodeau won’t have to train Gibson or teach him new skills, or worry about his development.
Since joining the league he has brought tenacity no matter where he has played. Gibson is a hard-nosed window cleaner whose teams have always had a better offensive rebound percentage when he was on the pitch. It helps give his teammates a second chance after missing goals on the pitch.
Some fans may have concerns about the potential release Omari spellman, who has never played a game for the franchise but was a first-round pick just two years ago. But the truth is, the Knicks never added Spellman because of what they expected of him as a player.
Looking back, during the offseason, the Knicks used their space to acquire Ed davis. The appeal of this move was never to play Davis, but rather the two future second-round picks that Jazz sent to quit his contract.
Another nifty / smart move here by the Knicks.
Get a second second round pair to take the contract with Ed Davis. Then flip Davis for another second round pick.
Good job from Leon Rose and Brock Aller. Maximize ceiling space https://t.co/9yUqOLwmtr
– Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) November 23, 2020
New York then sent Davis back to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Spellman and Jacob Evans. Once again, however, this move was primarily inspired by the asset-gathering of adding another future second-round that Minnesota included in the deal. Evans, who was also a first-round pick in 2018, was called out before the start of the season.
It may have come as a surprise that the Knicks didn’t re-sign Gibson during the offseason, especially since Thibodeau was hired to lead the team. But had he been on the roster all the time, they might not have had the space to acquire Davis, Spellman and Evans – who mark their front office three future draft picks.
If they had just re-signed Gibson in the offseason, they would have had three less assets in their toolbox. In the meantime, they still have Gibson on their roster as a veteran presence for this exciting and fairly young team.
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