"This means there’s a trade on the horizon" - New York Knicks waiving Taj Gibson has NBA fans buzzing
The New York Knicks waived veteran forward Taj Gibson, they announced on Sunday. The Knicks let go of the 14-year veteran on the day his contract was about to be guaranteed. Gibson played for the Washington Wizards last season before being acquired by the Knicks on Dec. 13.
According to The Athletic's Fred Katz, who first reported Gibson being waived, the move provides the Knicks more flexibility ahead of the trade deadline on Feb. 8. Waiving Gibson will leave the Knicks with only 14 players instead of a maximum of 15. This will give the team room to make two-for-one or three-for-two trades.
Upon seeing the news from Katz, NBA fans got their fan mode activated.
Reacting to the tweet, one fan anticipated a trade in the near future:
"This means there’s a trade on the horizon."
Another fan thought that BREAKING should not have been used with such news that involved Gibson:
“i don’t think this deserved a “BREAKING:” but yeah i’m sad to.”
Here are some more reactions from the fans on X.
The Knicks brought back Taj Gibson on a one-year deal in mid-December. They had previously parted ways with Dylan Windler. Gibson had played with the Knicks from the 2019-2020 season to the 2021-2022 season.
The 38-year-old veteran played 9.7 minutes per game, averaging 1.4 points.
Leon Rose releases statement after waiving Taj Gibson
The last time Taj Gibson had a meaningful game in the NBA was on Dec. 30. He played 14 minutes against the Indiana Pacers, getting two points and two rebounds. He was waived by the Knicks after 10 games.
He was acquired on Dec. 13 after New York's Mitchell Robinson, a 7-foot big man, went out for the season with an ankle injury.
After Gibson was waived, the Knicks president Leon Rose thanked him in a statement:
“Taj stepped up in a big way to help our team this season and had an immeasurable impact on our organization both on and off the court throughout his time with the Knicks.
“He was instrumental in helping us build the foundation and create the Knick culture that exists today. We’re extremely grateful and thank Taj for all his contributions”
The move from the Knicks is an early indication that they are going to take a leap to make better of the trade deadline this season. Their first big step was trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley. It will be interesting to see how they capitalize on this new opportunity.