Knicks sign veteran Taj Gibson as insurance in frontcourt
Taj Gibson #67 of the Washington Wizards reacts a 120-99 win over the Detroit Pistons at Capital One Arena on October 25, 2022 in Washington, DC. Credit: Getty Images
SALT LAKE CITY — His ankle could be an excuse, a tweak that caused Jalen Brunson to limp to the locker room in Boston Friday. The Knicks were starting a five-game road trip while Mitchell Robinson was in New York recovering from surgery, providing another explanation if things should go wrong.
And as usual, Brunson was shrugging off these issues. Asked about his ankle, which had him questionable Monday in the win over Toronto and he just said, “Great,” and smiled. Asked about moving on without Mitchell, who will be sidelined for months, he insisted that the team can pick it up collectively in his absence. Even the road trip, starting in the thin air of Utah, was just another obstacle to walk through.
And maybe he’s right. He did manage to play 37 minutes on the ankle Monday. The Knicks had won with Jericho Sims in the starting lineup. And the Knicks turned to their most trusted answer to a problem — signing veteran Taj Gibson to bolster the roster.
It is a mantra from Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who, like Brunson, answers any problem with a claim of, “We have more than enough to win.”
“I mean, losing Mitch is a big loss for our team,” Brunson said after the Knicks morning shootaround at the Delta Center. “Collectively, we have to pick it up. We can’t point fingers to Isaiah [Hartenstein] or Jericho [Sims]. We’ve got to basically come together as a team and be better. The things that he helps out for us, he’s been a great player honestly since I’ve been here. Just got to pick it up as a group, go from there.”
“Mitch is obviously such a huge part of our team,” RJ Barrett said. “He’s such a great player that of course, we’ll miss him. I think Jericho did a great job of stepping in and Isaiah. And we did it collectively. This is what we’re going to have to do for a stretch of time. Because what Mitch brings, I don’t think can be replaced.”
The Knicks got by the first step at home with the win over Toronto, starting Sims in place of Robinson. Gibson will provide some insurance at both center and at power forward, where the Knicks have been undersized among backups. The 38-year-old Gibson played for Thibodeau in Chicago, Minnesota and then for three seasons in New York before signing with Washington last season. He has served as a reliable on-court piece and a surrogate for Thibodeau in the locker room.
The signing of Gibson was not official yet, awaiting a physical, but he is expected to join the team on this trip. The Knicks could not comment on the signing until it passes the final stages.
“I think his career really speaks for itself,” Thibodeau said. “He’s had an incredible career. Great pro, great leader, great teammate, so he’ll be a fine addition to any team.”
But unlike his first time in New York when the Knicks benefited from the conduit in the locker room, connecting Thibodeau to the players who were getting accustomed to his demands and style, those pieces are already in place now. Brunson and Julius Randle are entrenched as the leaders, both on the court and off.
Carrying the team to a 13-9 start, Brunson and Randle have done the work on the court. Randle has earned accolades for it, already a two-time All-Star and All-NBA member. It’s a long way off, but already arguments are starting for this year’s honors — ESPN putting out a prediction on who will make the All-Star team this season and there were no Knicks in the mix.
Brunson had spoken before about not putting any awards or honors on display, but his slights, he admitted, “Maybe,” are marked somewhere.
“Yeah, it’s a goal of mine,” Brunson said of the All-Star team. “One thing I’ve always been consistent with, all the individual honors and stuff comes with team success. So I’m just focusing on what can I do to win.”
“Him and 30 [Randle],” Barrett added. “Both of them. For sure. [Brunson] is solid every game. You know what he’s going to give you. So he’s definitely an All-Star caliber player. Hope to see him there. Obviously, Julius has been there a couple times and what he’s doing — especially over the last couple of games has been amazing.”
Notes & quotes: To make room on the roster for Gibson the Knicks waived Dylan Windler, who was on a non-guaranteed contract that would not fully vest until January 7.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
