The New York Knicks got off to a hot start and their latest move to score big man Taj Gibson is another smart decision by Leon Rose.
Born and bred in Brooklyn near Brooklyn, Gibson is a respected veterinarian who played for the Knicks last season. The core members of the franchise therefore like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson is already familiar with Gibson, a reliable and well-known face for these players.
More importantly, however, Gibson has several years of experience playing under the Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau – including runs from 2010 to 2015 on the Chicago Bulls and 2017 to 2017 on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For a team loaded with young players, a year-old ‘Thibs man’ like Gibson can lend a hand as a translator in the dressing room for the famous intense coach. He can also serve as an extension of the coach when he is on the floor, taking into account the expertise he offers to know the philosophies and rhythms of a Thibodeau-style team.
Tom Thibodeau has coached Taj Gibson for seven combined seasons 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) 7 January 2021
After injuries to Obi Toppin and Nerlens Noel, the Knicks had an incredibly thin foreland. In answer, big man Julius Randle is currently the league’s leader in minutes per game and has played more than 60 percent of possible minutes for New York. Thibodeau is notorious for weakening his players with too much playing time, and Gibson could offer Randle some relief as the season progresses.
Realistically, while the vet may not add a lot of long-term value to the roster with his game, you still know what to expect when Gibson is on the track. Thibodeau does not have to coach Gibson or learn new skills, nor will he ever have to worry about his development.
Ever since he got into the league, he has brought stubbornness no matter where he played. Gibson is a hard glass cleaner whose teams have always had a better offensive rebound percentage when he was on the track. It helps to give his teammates a second chance at missed field goals.
Some fans may be worried about the possible release Omari Spellman, who 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 off-season, the Knicks used their hood space to acquire Ed Davis. The allure of the move was never to play Davis, but it was the two future choices of the second round that sent the Jazz to get out of his contract.
Another clever / clever move here by the Knicks.
Get some second second round to tackle the Ed Davis contract. Then turn to Davis for another second choice.
Good business by Leon Rose and Brock Aller. Maximizing the cap space https://t.co/9yUqOLwmtr
– Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) 23 November 2020
New York throws Davis to Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Spellman and Jacob Evans. However, this move was once again inspired by the asset raising of yet another future second player that Minnesota included in the deal. Evans, who was also the first round in 2018, was released before the start of the season.
It may have come as a surprise that the Knicks did not sign Gibson again during the off-season, especially since Thibodeau was appointed to lead the group. But if he was on the roster all the time, they might not have had the roster to acquire Davis, Spellman and Evans – who choose their front office three future concepts.
If they had just re-signed Gibson directly during the off-season, they would have had three assets less in their toolkit. By waiting, they still get Gibson on their rankings as a veteran presence for this exciting and otherwise pretty young group.