While the headlines for the New York Knicks have been filled with names like Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, and RJ Barrett, one of the more underrated signings of the off-season was Taj Gibson.
Gibson, who is going into his 12th NBA season, will play in an essential role for the Knicks as not only a contributor on the court but also as a mentor for the young center, Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson, who is one of the more talented young stars on the Knicks, is preparing to take his game to the next level and year too.
With the help of a 12 year veteran in Taj, he has the perfect resource to enable him to continue improving upon the success he enjoyed in his rookie campaign.
Not playing any collegiate basketball, Robinson lacks several fundamental traits that he will look to refine in the season ahead. Gibson, who has developed those abilities throughout his career, will look to instill those tools into his player makeup.
Gibson signed a two-year deal worth 20 million in July. He is mostly being paid to mentor Robinson, who is the future at the position. Head coach David Fizdale would be foolish not to start Mitchell at center this season given his potential and the optimism surrounding him.
However, having a reliable backup like Gibson allows the Knicks to experiment and utilize him in specific situations. Ensuring the Knicks don’t stunt Mitchell Robinson’s growth, though, is a priority and something that must be taken seriously in the 2019-20 season.
Gibson’s defensive abilities are one of his strengths and something he can pass on to Robinson in a different facet compared to DeAndre Jordan’s. He has some insight from a versatile stretch five, but will likely never experience closing games alongside another center, despite sharing the floor with Luke Korner at times in 2018.
It will be interesting to see how the Knicks utilize Robinson and continue to shape him in his second season, but I imagine Gibson will play it a factor in his development.