Knicks Sign Taj Gibson Back to 10-Day Contract
Guess who's back ... back again.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the New York Knicks are set to sign center/forward Taj Gibson to a 10-day contract, setting up his third term in Manhattan. Signing Gibson comes as the Knicks prepare to work through an undetermined length without two-time All-Star Julius Randle, who was lost to a dislocated shoulder during Saturday's game against the Miami Heat.
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Gibson, one of eight active players left from the 2009 NBA Draft, is well-known for collaborating with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, having previously done so in Chicago and Minnesota, as well as two prior stints with the Knicks.
He played three full seasons with the team (2019-22) and later played 10 games this time around after Mitchell Robinson's early December injury sidelined him indefinitely. In that latter span, Gibson averaged 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 points in just under 10 minutes a game.
Despite his relatively limited time, Thibodeau said that there was always an "open door" for Gibson to return to the New York bench, be it as a player or a coach.
"We always have a spot for him," Thibodeau said upon Gibson's waiving earlier this month, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "I think he still has something left in the tank. I think he’s going to be a terrific coach when that time comes, as well. We’ll see how everything goes.”
Though the Knicks (30-17) hold the NBA's longest active winning streak, their mettle has been tested with injuries to Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein, the latter of whom missed two games due to Achilles soreness.
Precious Achiuwa has filled in handsomely but that hasn't stopped the team from exploring options to shore up its depth before the trade deadline, even if the interior picture is relatively blank. This season has mostly been spent without a spell option for Randle after primary backup post man Obi Toppin was traded to the Indiana Pacers over the offseason.
The Knicks return to action on Tuesday night when they face the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
