Shams: Wizards signing Taj Gibson

[FAH1223]

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[80sballboy]

Third center? At 36?

Maybe this was the star-free agent Ted was talking about.

[gambitx777]

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Ewwwwww. Taj is washed and we already have gil as a towel waiver. We have Cary and enchique


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[AFM]

A 37 year old. Nice. Maybe he’s just there for the locker room but I don’t know about this one.

[NiteOwl]

Udonis Haslem role - culture/locker room. I guess you could get away with playing him 10 min a game, but he has to be the last big off the bench.

[80sballboy]

Udonis Haslem role - culture/locker room. I guess you could get away with playing him 10 min a game, but he has to be the last big off the bench.

He's fine for that role, but when Porzingis misses about 20-25 games, he's going to have to play 20mpg behind Gafford. I guess he can do that fine because he can rebound and defend a bit.

[gambitx777]

I really think the teams should be increased to 20 spots imo

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[nate33]

I don't have a problem with this. He's basically an assistant coach who won't play except when Porzingis gets hurt. You need one or two guys like that - professionals who know their role and can produce in a pinch, but won't cry about minutes.

Old guys can still play well in spurts, they just can't handle the grind of regular minutes throughout the season. He might even start when Porzingis is out to maintain the same role as a high post screen setter who can nail an 18-footer - though he would play shorter stints and cede more minutes to Gafford off the bench.

I'd love for him to get in the ear of Hachimura and teach him to rebound and play physical.

Vernon Carey Jr. can't be too happy about this though.

[80sballboy]

I don't have a problem with this. He's basically an assistant coach who won't play except when Porzingis gets hurt.

Old guys can still play well in spurts, they just can't handle the grind of regular minutes throughout the season. He might even start when Porzingis is out to maintain the same role as a high post screen setter who can nail an 18-footer - though he would play shorter stints and cede more minutes to Gafford off the bench.

I'd love for him to get in the ear of Hachimura and teach him to rebound and play physical.

Vernon Carey Jr. can't be too happy about this though.

Yes, that's a bit of a "younger" Haslem role because he can still play some. Shot 39% from three-point range with limited shots. Maybe he can help the young guys like Rui and Deni when it comes to rebounding and playing more physically.

[nate33]

How many guys do we have now?

PGs: Morris, Wright
SGs: Beal, Barton, Davis
SFs: Kispert, Avdija
PFs: Rui, Kuzma, Gill, Todd
Cs: Porzingis, Gafford, Carey, Gibson

That's all 15 roster spots. Add two 2-way guys - presumably Pierria Henry and maybe Dotson.

It seems unnecessarily deep at center, particularly when Kuzma and Gill can play there in a pinch.

[doclinkin]

CHAMPIONSHIP!

This is the one more free agent Ted was talking about. What we need most is one more 4/5 because at some point we will own ALL the forwards in the league and then teams will have to beg to pry one away from us.

I liked Taj a ton when he was at USC playing with Nick Young. I was happy to see him succeed in the league despite being undersized for the position. Tough dude, not bad to exemplify front court defense based on technique and effort. I just think this sort of signing may be the type we get used to over the next few years. Veterans on short deals to fill in the back end of the roster. And probably be played a little too much by coaches who know they can trust them.

[80sballboy]

How many guys do we have now?

PGs: Morris, Wright
SGs: Beal, Barton, Davis
SFs: Kispert, Avdija
PFs: Rui, Kuzma, Gill, Todd
Cs: Porzingis, Gafford, Carey, Gibson

That's all 15 roster spots. Add two 2-way guys - presumably Pierria Henry and maybe Dotson.

It seems unnecessarily deep at center, particularly when Kuzma and Gill can play there in a pinch.

What is Carey's contract? Can they cut him if he doesn't work out? Sounds like we need to make a real trade.

[payitforward]

Taj Gibson has had a nice career. He's been a better 4 than 5, but... he doesn't seem to have much left.

Last year & the year before he took just over 6 shots per 40 minutes. You read that right.

His rebounding is still solid. Last year, his foul rate soared -- I'm assuming he's lost a step. Or 3.

Signing Taj Gibson to a team with 4 PFs, mostly young & about whom we need to start making decisions, is completely ridiculous. This is an Ernie-level decision.

Really hard to believe. Plus, for the first time in Tommy's reign as GM, we've signed a meaningless veteran who can't be part of the team for any meaningful amount of time. Whose only conceivable benefit could be a short-term win or two this season (though even that benefit is actually out of the question: we'd be far better off playing Gill for any of the minutes Taj gets).

I take it this is the first fruit of Ted's announcement that he is "focused on the Wizards." Perhaps, being -- as he claimed -- "a free agent away," Taj is that guy.

"Away" from what? We all know perfectly well what Ted means, don't we? He wants to compete for the play-in game. What a joke!

[payitforward]

CHAMPIONSHIP!

This is the one more free agent Ted was talking about. What we need most is one more 4/5 because at some point we will own ALL the forwards in the league and then teams will have to beg to pry one away from us.

I liked Taj a ton when he was at USC playing with Nick Young. I was happy to see him succeed in the league despite being undersized for the position. Tough dude, not bad to exemplify front court defense based on technique and effort. I just think this sort of signing may be the type we get used to over the next few years. Veterans on short deals to fill in the back end of the roster. And probably be played a little too much by coaches who know they can trust them.

We are now officially back to the Ernie era, where we acquire veteran "band-aids."

[Gig18]

another coach, just as 15th guy...

[JWizmentality]

I've always wanted Taj Gibson...a decade ago.

[montestewart]

I've always wanted Taj Gibson...a decade ago.

“We’ve had our eye on him for a long time” is the quote on his tombstone

[daSwami]

WTAF?

[payitforward]

I don't have a problem with this. He's basically an assistant coach who won't play except when Porzingis gets hurt. You need one or two guys like that - professionals who know their role and can produce in a pinch, but won't cry about minutes.

Old guys can still play well in spurts, they just can't handle the grind of regular minutes throughout the season....

To me, the problem with telling the story this way is that it leaves out the most important fact: Taj takes up a roster spot that could go to a kid who has some kind of a future -- at least potentially. He gets in the way of developing the team.

& what is the message in that kind of decision? "We don't have a problem; things're good, & now we're just cleaning up around the edges." But, the truth is that this franchise is a colossal mess & absolutely refuses to deal with its real situation.

The other factor, equally negative, is that this move signals (at least to me it seems to) greater involvement from Ted -- which is the last thing needed.

[keynote]

This sets the stage nicely for a consolidation trade in the front court. Hopefully this means we can add Collins, or Ingram, or whichever "big swing" Shep is able to overpay for.

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