Minnesota Timberwolves May Consider Pursuing Taj Gibson in Free Agency
Minnesota Timberwolves president/head coach Tom Thibodeau is lucky enough to inherit a team that already has a core made up of young, talented players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, Ricky Rubio and Gorgui Dieng. Now, all he has to do is to mold the team into a contender. However, that hasn't been easy.
Thibodeau's Chicago Bulls teams were known for their defense and he was supposed to turn this Wolves team into an elite defensive unit as well when he joined the franchise. Well, that didn't happen during his first season with the team and they would have to work on it again this offseason.
The squad has the potential to be very good defensively. LaVine's defense is still a work in progress, but Towns, Wiggins, Rubio and Dieng are actually good defensive players. So, why is the team struggling? Well, maybe what they need is someone who actually has some experience with Thibodeau's defensive scheme and ESPN's Nick Silva has an interesting suggestion? Why not go after Taj Gibson this summer?
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"A few NBA teams will be calling Gibson's agent on July 1 and a former head coach of his could be the first to contact him," Silva said in his report.
"Thibodeau will no doubt try to bring in some veteran help in the offseason who can lead the talented young Wolves, and Gibson could be a perfect fit. Thibodeau knows Gibson well, as he was the head coach of the Bulls from 2010–2015," he continued.
Can Gibson's presence really turn a bad defensive team into a good one? It's definitely worth a try.
Dieng can also return to the bench if the Wolves sign Gibson. That's not a demotion, though. Dieng played really well off the bench in the past few seasons. He doesn't necessarily have to start as long as he gets solid minutes.
Gibson is a realistic option for the Wolves and they should at least consider adding him this summer.
