The Washington Wizards reportedly waived Taj Gibson and Xavier Cooks, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Cooks, a 28-year-old forward, appeared in 10 games during the 2022-23 season with Washington. Meanwhile, Gibson is a respected NBA veteran who is trying to keep his NBA career alive. It will be interesting to see if a team takes a chance on the 38-year-old big man.
Taj Gibson's career in the NBA
Gibson has been in the NBA since the 2009-10 campaign. He debuted with the Chicago Bulls and remained with the team until 2016-17. Gibson has since played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and the Wizards.
Although Gibson has not ever been regarded as a star player, he's significantly impacted the teams in which he's been apart of. For his career, Gibson has averaged 8.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
The Wizards liked having Gibson on the roster as a veteran mentor. He only played in 49 games last year and averaged 3.4 points per contest. Nevertheless, the Wizards entertained the idea of bringing him back for the 2023-24 campaign. However, they have decided to go in a different direction ahead of the season opener.
Wizards moving forward
Washington is not expected to seriously compete in 2023-24. They acquired Jordan Poole via trade during the offseason, and he projects to be a young star whom the Wizards can build around. Kyle Kuzma will also play a big role for the Wizards.
Overall, however, Washington's roster features much inexperience and uncertainty. They are in the middle of a rebuild and will try to turn things around soon.
Gibson's veteran presence will be missed, but his absence should lead to more time on the court for young Wizards players.
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