Taj Gibson

Bulls, Raptors Talk Taj Gibson, Patrick Patterson

February 18th, 2016 at 1:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

THURSDAY, 1:10pm: The Raptors continue to make offers to teams that include both Patterson and the first-round pick the Knicks owe them in an effort to upgrade at the four, tweets Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.

8:03pm: One source who spoke with Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com cast doubt on the idea of a Gibson trade, saying he isn’t going anywhere.

1:54pm: Chicago asked for the lesser of the Raptors’ two first-round picks, a source told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, who adds that it’s not clear whether the Bulls initiated the talks or the Raptors did. Presumably, Johnson’s referring to the pair of 2016 first-rounders the Raps have, and not the two 2017 first-round picks they also possess.

WEDNESDAY, 9:33am: The Bulls have proposed a swap that would send Taj Gibson to Toronto and bring Patrick Patterson to Chicago, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. However, the Raptors love Patterson and GM Masai Ujiri doesn’t appear to feel as strongly about any of the available power forwards who might bump Luis Scola from the starting lineup, Lowe adds in a different portion of his wide-ranging trade deadline column. Ostensibly, that signals Ujiri’s preference for Patterson over Gibson, though that’s not entirely clear. The Raptors would have a strong chance to re-sign Al Horford if they traded for him, sources tell Lowe, but it would take just about all Toronto has to give to wrest him from the Hawks, and a Horford-to-Toronto swap is unlikely, Lowe writes.

Gibson is making $8.5MM this season, with $8.95MM due in 2016/17, so he’d be a more expensive option than Patterson, whose contract runs the same length of time and gives him close to $6.269MM this year and an even $6.05MM next season. The Raptors are barely above the salary cap for this season, which would give them plenty of flexibility to make such a move, though it would add to the nearly $70MM in guaranteed salary they have for 2016/17, a figure that doesn’t include a new contract for DeMar DeRozan. A swap of Gibson for Patterson straight up would conversely represent a key savings for the Bulls, who are about $4.7MM above the tax threshold. It would cleave about $3.3MM from Chicago’s projected tax bill.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports first reported Gibson’s availability, though that was before Joakim Noah went out for the season and Nikola Mirotic had two surgeries related to appendicitis. Chicago would have preferred to have traded Noah rather than Gibson, Marc Stein of ESPN.com recently wrote. Dana Gauruder of Hoops Rumors examined Gibson as a trade candidate.

Many teams are high on Patterson, according to Bobby Marks of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports, and Patterson’s name emerged as a figure in a rumored proposal between the Raptors and Nets.

Bulls Push To Trade Pau Gasol?

February 17th, 2016 at 1:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:56pm: The Bulls have turned down some offers for Gasol, so they’re not trading him for the sake of trading him, Johnson writes.

12:50pm: Johnson indicates Chicago’s asking price for Gasol is the same as it is for Gibson: a rotation player and a first-rounder (Twitter link).

12:44pm: Sources who spoke with Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com dispute the idea the Bulls are aggressively shopping Gasol, saying instead that the Bulls have merely fielded calls about him (Twitter link).

12:16pm: The Bulls are aggressively shopping Pau Gasol, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical On Yahoo Sports. However, the team is insisting on a first-round pick and a player in any deal involving Taj Gibson, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Gasol is almost certain to opt out this summer, while Gibson doesn’t have a player option on a contract that runs through next season. Chicago wants to extract value from Gasol, lest he simply walk away in free agency, Wojnarowski writes.

The Bulls offered Gibson to the Raptors for Patrick Patterson, as Zach Lowe of ESPN.com heard, though Johnson alludes to conflicting reports on which team initiated that idea (Twitter link). Chicago had been determined to find an upgrade on the wing, as Wojnarowski reported when the team began to make Gibson and Joakim Noah available, but that was before Noah went out for the season with a shoulder injury and appendicitis forced Nikola Mirotic to the sideline, weakening the team’s frontcourt. The Bulls apparently measured the market for Gasol around that time but were more focused on Gibson and Noah. Now it seems their focus has changed.

Gasol said earlier this season that he’s very likely to opt out, making those comments in December, when the Bulls were reportedly poised to make a strong push to re-sign him this summer. Brother Marc Gasol has said he’d like to lure him to the Grizzlies, but whichever team Pau finishes the season with would only have Early Bird rights to re-sign if he indeed opts out.

Central Notes: Noah, Anderson, Turner

January 29th, 2016 at 7:50pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls would have preferred to have traded Joakim Noah rather than Taj Gibson, hoping to extract value of some sort from Noah before he has the chance to depart in free agency this summer, executives from around the league said to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The injuries to Noah and Nikola Mirotic have made a Gibson trade even less likely, sources confirmed to Stein. Noah is expected to be out four to six months while Mirotic isn’t likely to return until after the All-Star break.

Here’s the latest from out of the Central Division:

The Pistons have interest in Ryan Anderson as a free agent this summer but not as a trade candidate, preferring not to have to relinquish assets to snag him, sources tell Stein in a separate piece. ESPN colleague Zach Lowe of ESPN.com previously reported that Detroit was eyeing the Pelicans stretch four.
The Pacers have elected to go with a bigger lineup after experimenting with a small-ball approach earlier in the season, a move that has benefited 2015 draftee Myles Turner, Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star notes. “You don’t know when you’re dealing with a rookie, a 19-year-old player, how soon it’s going to come,” coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s going to be some ups and some downs but if you look at this at what we think Myles can be. … This is what this team should look like out there.“
The Bulls‘ backcourt tandem of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler are still working on developing on-court chemistry, since the two haven’t shared much time on the floor together thanks to Rose’s many injuries, K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes. Butler is excited about the potential of the duo, telling Johnson, “I love playing with him [Rose]. He’s super aggressive. He’s taking great shots. That’s what we need. As long as I follow his lead in that attacking style, we’re going to be really good.”

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Central Notes: Cavs, Bulls, Pistons

January 24th, 2016 at 3:15pm CST by Will Joseph

Knicks reserve center Louis Amundson, who spent time with the Cavs last season, in citing a poor locker room atmosphere, wasn’t overly surprised that Cleveland fired coach David Blatt, Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. Amundson said Blatt lacked the experience of coaching in the NBA, which he added is necessary to succeed. The Knicks’ locker room felt more like a team than the Cavs’ to Amundson, Berman writes.

“It didn’t feel like it should feel,’’ Amundson said. “A team with championship aspirations, that’s not how it was supposed to feel. Teams go through ups and downs, but I just think the atmosphere and energy wasn’t there. It wasn’t a healthy atmosphere. Teams go through issues, but it still feels you work through stuff being productive. In that disagreement, it didn’t feel like that. But they did manage to get it together.’’

Here’s more out of the Central Division:

Taj Gibson is the most likely player to be traded from the Bulls because Chicago would already have a replacement in rookie Bobby Portis, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com details (Insider subscription required). It is still unclear if the Bulls view themselves as buyers or sellers as the trade deadline nears, Doolittle adds. If Chicago is looking to add, Luol Deng or Joe Johnson would be sensible targets, Doolittle writes. With Joakim Noah out with an injury, he is almost certainly off the market, according to Doolittle.
It isn’t crazy to think that the Pistons will be playing in their own arena in downtown Detroit in less than 10 years, David Mayo of MLive opines. Pistons owner Tom Gores confirmed last week that such a move is being considered, but everything is still in the preliminary stage. In the short-term, however, the Pistons are committed to The Palace of Auburn Hills because they own it debt-free and attendance has been consistent, Mayo writes.

Bulls Gauge Trade Interest In Pau Gasol

January 13th, 2016 at 10:57pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Bulls recently measured the trade market for Pau Gasol in discussions that have more often centered on Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, league sources tell Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher (video link). Chicago wants a talented young player in return, whether it’s a defensive-minded wing player or a stretch four, and to open playing time for Bobby Portis, Bucher adds.

Chicago has reportedly been determined to find an upgrade at the wing and believes that it needs more outside shooting, and the team is willing to part with some of its ample frontcourt depth to acquire the right player, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported recently. The players most often linked to such a move have been Gibson and Noah, and the revelation that the team is potentially shopping Gasol is a new twist. The Bulls have been mentioned in connection with Timberwolves shooting guard Kevin Martin, who is reportedly available, as well as Jamal Crawford of the Clippers, though neither player fits the mold of the talented young player or defensive-minded wing that Bucher noted the team was seeking in his report.

Noah, who’s averaging a career-low 4.3 points per game while struggling with shoulder issues, is making $13.4MM this year in the final season of his deal, and Gibson has an $8.5MM salary for this season, with $8.95MM owed to him for 2016/17. Gibson supposedly has a higher value on the trade market, as a Western Conference GM recently relayed to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, but the team would likely prefer to deal Noah, given the decline in his play and expiring contract. It’s doubtful Chicago would be able to extract much in the way of value for Noah, though Bucher indicates that a decent market for him exists.

As for Gasol, he possesses a player option worth $7,769,520 for 2016/17 and has said that he’s leaning toward opting out of his contract this summer. He did add that he would like to remain in Chicago beyond this season. “Yes, of course,” Gasol said about staying with the Bulls after 2015/16. “But when the time comes we’ll evaluate it. I’ll see how the season went. Where are the team’s interests, where are my interests, what options do I have? But most important is for me and the team to focus on what we have this season to make the best out of it and give ourselves a chance to win the title.”

The Bulls would have only Early Bird rights on Gasol if he does decide to opt out, meaning they’d have to use cap room if they wish to ink him to a starting salary on his next deal that’s more than 175% of his nearly $7.449MM salary for this season, a figure that would come to $13,035,330. The Bulls have more than $64.75MM in guaranteed salary against a projected $89MM cap, though some believe it could rise as high as $95MM next season. It’s not clear if the team is pessimistic that it will be able to retain Gasol, or if it understands that he is the player who would generate the best potential return in a trade.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Trade Candidate: Taj Gibson

January 11th, 2016 at 9:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today Sports Images

Taj Gibson provides old-school skills at a position that has become increasingly more perimeter-oriented. The Bulls veteran is the antithesis of a stretch four — he doesn’t spread the floor by hanging around the 3-point circle and waiting for a kickout pass.

Gibson’s game is based upon power. He’s a solid rebounder, a superior rim protector and an above-average mid-range shooter.

The Bulls apparently hope that another team that needs a player fitting that description will give them a call. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports raised that possibility last month, reporting that the Bulls are looking to acquire the best possible wing player available, with Gibson or Joakim Noah being the bargaining chip. The Bulls believe they need another shooter at the wing alongside emerging franchise player Jimmy Butler, according to Wojnarowski.

On the surface, that’s surprising since Chicago currently ranks fourth in the league in 3-point percentage. But in their quest to reach the NBA Finals, the Bulls will need all the firepower they can muster to prevent the Cavaliers from making a return trip.

Chicago is hopeful of getting Mike Dunleavy back in action during the second half of the season, which could fill that need. There’s no guarantee that Dunleavy will regain his old form once he completes his rehab of a back injury that has sidelined him all season, so the Bulls could opt for a healthier, younger wing man.

Noah’s return from a shoulder injury on Monday gives the Bulls plenty of frontcourt depth. They have one of the league’s top centers in Pau Gasol, a defensive stalwart in Noah and a stretch four in Nikola Mirotic. They also have an emerging rookie in Bobby Portis, who has skills similar to Gibson’s.

Gibson had been starting and playing heavy minutes in Noah’s absence but the Bulls could easily plug Portis into Gibson’s role if they swing a deal. Sam Smith of NBA.com recently provided a compelling argument against trading Gibson, opining that he’s simply too valuable and reliable to send packing. Moreover, Smith points out, the Bulls’ frontcourt could be thinned considerably following the season. Noah becomes an unrestricted free agent and Gasol, woefully underpaid by NBA standards, will almost certainly opt out of the final year on his contract.

By the numbers, Gibson remains as effective as he’s ever been. His PER has exceeded the league average in three of the last four seasons and it’s currently at 15.54 this season. He’s shooting a career-best 52.8% from the field, his 6.8 rebounding average is as high as it’s been since his rookie season and he’s averaging a career-high 1.5 assists.

According to NBA.com’s advanced stats, Gibson has made 45.5% of his mid-range shots. Gibson has actually had more trouble finishing at the rim (40% on layup attempts), so his offensive production could increase if he can get that straightened out.

Make no mistake, Gibson’s calling card comes on the defensive end. His Offensive Box Plus/Minus Rating, according to Basketball-Reference, has been below zero every season of his career but it’s been more than offset by the positives he puts up in Defensive Box Plus/Minus Rating. His current 2.4 Defensive Box rating is better than it’s been since his second season.

Gibson’s strong season can be attributed in part to improved health. He had offseason surgery that uncovered and repaired a torn ligament in his left ankle and he told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that his mobility is much improved. “I’m completely stronger as far as my lateral movement and being able to switch more to guards,” Gibson said. “I feel a lot faster.”

Noah’s $13.4MM salary, plus his injury history and impending free agency, makes him tougher to deal than Gibson, a Western Conference GM recently told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

Gibson is making $8.5MM this season and is locked into an $8.95MM contract in his walk year of 2016/17. Thus, it makes sense that any team dealing for him would want him in its rotation beyond this season. It also figures that his suitor would be a playoff contender, since Gibson doesn’t fit the mold of a young, developing player with upside.

Which playoff contenders need another rebounding big? Start with the Hawks, who rank last in rebounding differential. They have one of the league’s most feared 3-point shooters in veteran swingman Kyle Korver, who is shooting a career-low 36% from long distance. Perhaps a change of scenery could energize Korver.

The red-hot Clippers may not be inclined to do anything at the moment but their team rebounding numbers are surprisingly poor despite the presence of DeAndre Jordan and currently injured Blake Griffin. Another big body could help them down the road and they could offer veteran wing Jamal Crawford, a proven bench scorer.

The Grizzlies are one of the league’s worst 3-point shooting teams but could also use someone to fortify their frontcourt behind Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Courtney Lee is struggling with his shot this season but is a 38.1% career shooter from long distance, so that might interest the Bulls.

These trade proposals are pure speculation on my part but offer a glimpse as to what type of player the Bulls might get back for Gibson. Bear in mind that Chicago is a taxpaying team, so the Bulls can only take in 125% of the salary they trade away, plus $100K, unless they bring in players with contracts that fit within the minimum salary exception.

Don’t forget the Bulls rarely go the trade route to improve their team — they haven’t made one since July 14th, 2014, and lack trade exceptions. But if the Bulls truly want to get another shooter for their playoff run, dealing Gibson would seem to be their best option.

Central Notes: Jennings, Tolliver, Prunty, Gibson

January 5th, 2016 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Brandon Jennings isn’t sure whether the Pistons will trade him, but he said Monday that he hopes he’ll finish the season in Detroit, MLive’s David Mayo notes. Coach/executive Stan Van Gundy will listen to offers but has consistently attempted to tamp down trade rumors involving the point guard who’s successfully returned from injury, Mayo writes.

“Our plan, right now, is that Brandon can help us make a playoff push, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Van Gundy said. “That’s our plan right now. If something happens in the next five weeks, we’ll look at it. But right now, he’s a very good player who can help us, and that’s the only way we’re looking at him.”

Jennings called his one-game D-League rehab stint critical to his comeback, as Mayo also relays, and Reggie Jackson continued his praise of Jennings, calling him “the ultimate teammate,” as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press details. See more on the Pistons and the rest of the Central Division:

Soon-to-be free agent Anthony Tolliver wants to re-sign with the Pistons in the offseason, as he wrote recently on his personal blog and as Aaron McCann of MLive points out. “I want to have a good, solid season and help my team win as much as possible,” Tolliver wrote. “And then when I’m a free agent this summer, I hope to sign back with Detroit and try to make this a long-term home for my family and me.”
Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty got his start in the NBA with the Spurs, and he’s using Gregg Popovich as a model for success, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details. Still, head coach Jason Kidd remains influential, and Prunty said he and the rest of the coaching staff keep in close contact with Kidd, who’s on a leave of absence as he recovers from hip surgery.
The offseason surgery that uncovered and repaired a torn ligament in Taj Gibson‘s formerly troublesome left ankle has the trade candidate feeling much better, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “I’m completely stronger as far as my lateral movement and being able to switch more to guards,” the Bulls power forward said. “I feel a lot faster.”

Eastern Notes: Larkin, Gibson, Wizards

December 30th, 2015 at 1:42pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets point guard Shane Larkin said that he needed to get away from the Knicks and the triangle offense in order to grow as a player, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “I’m in a pick-and-roll system my third year,’’ said Larkin. “My first year [in Dallas] I was in a pick-and-roll system, but I was coming off a broken ankle, so I missed time with that, didn’t get a preseason, so I was just kind of learning on the fly. Last year wasn’t the best system for me, that year went however it went. And this year I feel like I’m growing every single game and being more comfortable out there and just playing my game. I feel like it’s a good fit.’’ The 23-year-old is averaging 7.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 18.9 minutes of action per game this season for Brooklyn.

Here’s more from the East:

Power forward Taj Gibson is supportive of rookie Bobby Portis, whose play in the wake of Joakim Noah‘s injury has many calling for an increased role for the young player, and potentially making Gibson a trade candidate for the Bulls, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. When asked if the emergence of Portis has given conflicting feelings, Gibson responded, “What do you mean mixed feelings? It’s never mixed feelings. At the end of the day I care about my teammates. I don’t worry about all that. If he plays well it’s good for us, it’s good for the team. I want him to succeed. At the end of the day, we’re millionaires. We play a game.”
Paul Pierce believes that the Wizards, his former team, will be a dangerous team once they get healthy, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post writes. “Right now I think they’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries. I keep up with them when I’m not playing. I’m still good friends with a lot of guys on the team. We chat on the text,” Pierce said. “I just think they’re dealing with a lot of injuries and kind of got off to a slow start. And I think once they get healthy, you’re going to have to watch out for them. They got a lot of depth when they’re healthy. A guy like Alan Anderson can definitely be a positive for them as far as their wing depth. Obviously, they’re missing a lot of their big men so I think once they get healthy, if they get healthy at the right time, they can make a real good run in the East.”
The Heat have assigned shooting guard Josh Richardson to their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be Richardson’s first sojourn of the season to Sioux Falls.

Bulls Make Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson Available

December 23rd, 2015 at 1:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bulls are determined to find an upgrade at the wing and feel like they need more shooting, and they’re open to trading either Joakim Noah or Taj Gibson for the best possible wing player available, executives from around the league have told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, as he said on “The Vertical” podcast (audio link via Twitter at one-hour, three-minute mark; transcription via Blog a Bull). Noah, poised to hit free agency this summer, said today that he’s expected to miss two to four weeks with a “slight tear” in his shoulder, a comment that came after Wojnarowski recorded his podcast. Gibson, signed through next season, has higher value on the trade market, a Western Conference GM said recently to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

Jimmy Butler caused a stir with his recent criticism of coach Fred Hoiberg, but he’s well-entrenched on the wing with a new five-year contract. Tony Snell is shooting 38.7% from 3-point range as the replacement starter for the injured Mike Dunleavy at the other wing position, but he’s averaging just 5.6 points in 22.8 minutes per game. Dunleavy still appears to be a month or two from returning to play in games after a recent setback in his recovery from back surgery.

Wings are in high demand around the league, as former Nets executive Bobby Marks said to Wojnarowski on the podcast. The Timberwolves have reportedly made shooting guard Kevin Martin available, and the Bulls were apparently among the teams interested in him last season, though it’s unclear if they’re still eyeing him or if they’d be willing to relinquish Gibson or Noah for the career 38.5% 3-point shooter who turns 33 in February. Multiple reports have indicated that the Clippers are thinking about trading Jamal Crawford, though he’s a career 34.9% 3-point shooter who’s hit on only 30.9% of his attempts from behind the arc this season. The Nuggets are reportedly dangling Randy Foye, though he’s posted only 5.9 points in 20.0 minutes per game with 28.0% shooting this season.

Noah, who’s averaging a career-low 4.5 points per game, is making $13.4MM this year, while Gibson, a recent addition to the starting lineup, has an $8.5MM salary for this season, with $8.95MM coming his way in 2016/17. Chicago is a taxpaying team, so the Bulls can only take in 125% of the salary they trade away, plus $100K, unless they bring in players with contracts that fit within the minimum salary exception. The Bulls, who haven’t made a trade since July 14th, 2014, don’t have any trade exceptions.

Which wing players do you think the Bulls could reasonably acquire for either Noah or Gibson? Leave a comment to let us know.

Bulls Notes: Butler, Hoiberg, Gibson, Noah

December 21st, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Jimmy Butler insisted today that he wasn’t calling out Fred Hoiberg when he made a series of pointed comments implicating the coach after Saturday’s loss to the Knicks, notes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). The swingman said today that he accepts that he has to fit into Hoiberg’s offense, an issue that’s reportedly raised concern, and that the coach doesn’t have to change as a person, even though he would like to see him demand more, as Johnson also relays (Twitter links). Hoiberg agrees that he can get on his players more than he has and said that he didn’t find Butler’s remarks from Saturday hurtful, according to Johnson (Twitter links). See more on Butler, Hoiberg and other Bulls amid the latest from the Windy City:

Taj Gibson would net the Bulls a greater return in a trade than Joakim Noah would, but the Bulls have resisted the idea of trading Gibson the last two years, a Western Conference GM told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. A market does exist for Noah, the GM also said, though he thinks the center is poised to depart Chicago in free agency this summer anyway, as Deveney details.
Chicago has major locker room problems, and while acrimony doesn’t exist, a lack of camaraderie does, a league source who spoke to Deveney for the same piece said. Butler, whose lone-wolf approach reportedly leaves others feeling alienated, said today that after talking to his teammates, he believes they accept his leadership, even as he admits he has to be a better leader, observe Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com and Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com (All Twitter links).
Doug McDermott has taken a leap forward this season, and he credits a significant part of that to Hoiberg, who attended the same high school as he did, Friedell notes. “He runs stuff for me,” McDermott said. “He gives me that confidence. He’ll run stuff for me and when you’ve got Derrick [Rose] and Jimmy out there you need a floor spacer and I know I’m going to get shots with those guys eventually just because they draw so much attention.”

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