Taj Gibson has always been a personal favorite of Tom Thibodeau, and the Knicks coach said Monday that the “door is open” with the Knicks coaching staff if the veteran forward decides to retire from the NBA. Ta.
The 38-year-old Gibson, who returned to the Knicks last month after injuries to centers Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims, was waived Sunday ahead of the deadline that guaranteed his contract for the remainder of the season.
“He was unbelievable, but that doesn't surprise any of us. We knew he would be,” Thibodeau said. “There were times when he lost big, [he was] It was useful for my trip to the west coast. It brought a lot to our team whether he was in the rotation or not. The ultimate professional. The perfect professional. And there are great people on top of that. That's one of the unfortunate parts of this business, but he's great. ”
Regarding the possibility of Gibson joining the coaching staff, Thibodeau added: “He knows how I feel about it. We'll always have a place for him. It's an open door. Let's see how everything unfolds from now on. In the tank. I think there's still something left in him. When the time comes, he'll be a great coach too. Let's see how everything goes.”
Jalen Brunson has known Gibson since they were teenagers, as his father, Rick Brunson, also coached under Thibodeau with the Bulls.
Brunson and Julius Randle also said they believe Gibson will be a good coach after he retires.
“It was really great to have him as a teammate. I knew Taj when I was in eighth grade and we first met when he was in Chicago, so it was really cool to be teammates with him. I feel like that,” Brunson said. He brought a lot of leadership and obviously knew the ins and outs of the game of basketball. And having been with Thisbus for a very long time, yeah, he's been amazing when he's been here. ”
Gibson was replaced in the backup center rotation in recent games by Precious Achiuwa, one of three players acquired from Toronto on Dec. 30.
Waving Gibson frees up space on the roster in case the Knicks want to bring back additional players in another trade.
Brunson averaged 27.3 points and 9.3 assists during the Knicks' four-game winning streak and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season.
He also won the award for the week ending November 20th.
