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The New York Knicks made a surprising move recently by bringing in 38-year-old veteran big man Taj Gibson to help bolster the frontcourt, as he had ties with head coach Tom Thibodeau.
After the Knicks lost center Mitchell Robinson to an injury back in early December, New York needed to make a move, and Gibson fit the bill, at least for the short term.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, the Knicks are waiving Gibson in order to give the team some flexibility ahead of the NBA trade deadline on February 8.
The Knicks are waiving Taj Gibson, sources tell @TheAthletic. Gives the Knicks extra flexibility leading into the trade deadline. They will have 14 players, which gives them the ability to make a two-for-one or three-for-two trade. Gibson’s contract was set to guarantee today.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 7, 2024
As of right now, the Knicks are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics.
There have been rumors floating around all season long that the Knicks anxiously want to be in the championship conversation and among the elite class in the East, with some moves potentially brewing in New York.
The team recently made a move to acquire OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, with R.J. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley headed up north in exchange for the defensive-minded forward.
Clearly, the Knicks aren’t done making moves and might be working on making another substantial move ahead of the deadline, which is almost a month away.
At this point in time, the Knicks aren’t playing at the same level as the Celtics and Bucks, but the storied franchise appears intent on moving up the ranks and could very well be working on making a deal or, at the very least, maintaining their flexibility if an opportunity arises.
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