The New York Knicks are bringing back Taj Gibson on a one-year deal according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
New York needs size up front after Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was forced to undergo ankle surgery after suffering an injury last Friday against the Boston Celtics. Mitchell could miss up to two months. Aside from Mitchell, the Knicks feature Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims up front.
The anchor of the Knicks' defense. Robinson has averaged 1.3 blocks per game this season. His ability to not only block shots but create second-chance scoring opportunities for the Knicks on offense has been the main strength of the team.
Robinson has played in all 21 games for New York this season, averaging 6.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 59.2 percent from the floor. His 10.3 rebounds per game currently ranks 11th in the league.
Gibson is a favorite of Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau; the big man has played for Thibs with the Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, and previously in New York.
The Washington Wizards waived Gibson in October. Prior to that, the Knicks were reportedly interested in adding Gibson to their final open roster spot during training camp this summer.
Now that Gibson and Thibodeau are reunited, it's unclear what his role will be. It's possible that he slides into the rotation, but he also could be insurance for Hartenstein and Sims at this point in his career.
For his career, Gibson has averaged 8.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. From 2019-22 with the Knicks, Gibson put up 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 18 minutes per game.
The Knicks are currently 13-9, good for sixth place in the NBA Eastern Conference standings.
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