Chicago Bulls: The Rise Of Taj Gibson

Not a lot of players come back after the offseason looking drastically different, but Taj Gibson might surprise a few people once the 2013-14 season is underway. For awhile now, Gibson’s been cautiously regarded as a potential replacement for Carlos Boozer and his massively oversized contract. Except he’s never been able to take the next step. His offense has stayed pretty even keel throughout his four years in the league and he’s never showed signs of replacing Boozer’s easier-to-appreciate offensive game. Plus, who else could scream out “GIMME THAT S**T!” every time he pulls down a rebound the way Boozer does?

But entering his fifth season in the NBA, Gibson returns to camp 15 pounds heavier than he was a season ago. After spending the summer bulking up by lifting weights, Gibson is a confident 240 pounds. But if ESPN’s Nick Friedell is to be believed, Gibson’s still lean and mean enough to defend the way Chicago fans are accustomed to. And beefing up isn’t the only thing Gibson’s been doing this offseason to improve. Apparently, he’s also been working on adding a perimeter shot to his repertoire.

That’s right, Bulls fans. Taj Gibson could become a member of the “I’m At Least 6’9″ But I Still Shoot Corner 3s Because I Make Them Every Now And Then” Club, which would allow him to join the likes of Chris Bosh, Pau Gasol and Serge Ibaka. As a fan of good basketball, it can often be a frustrating thing to watch, even when the ball goes in the hole. Anybody who’s ever played the game has played with the guy who takes bad shots that make you say “No!” but somehow they go in and you’re forced to give a conciliatory “Yeah!” afterward. Personally, I’d much rather my power forward take shots like this:

Bosh, Gasol and Ibaka shot 28 percent, 29 percent and 35 percent last season from 3-point range, respectively. They took a small number of 3-point attempts, but those percentages aren’t encouraging news for Bulls fans. But in Friedell’s article, Gibson says the coaches and even Derrick Rose are encouraging him to develop his 3-point shot. But hey, whenever you get the chance to encourage a guy who’s only taken 12 3-point shots in his four-year career and managed to make only one of them to shoot more 3s, you have to do it. Sarcasm aside, what if it actually works though? If it makes Gibson more confident and he can drain a corner 3 every now and then, doesn’t that give him the offensive versatility to finally make Boozer expendable?

In theory, yes. But it’s a bit of a stretch to say that one summer of practicing 3s will help Gibson bridge the gap between his offensive game and Boozer’s. The biggest argument to starting Gibson over Boozer is the offensive end of the floor, since even Gibson’s per 36 minutes numbers of 12.8 points per game last season don’t compare to Boozer’s actual 16.2 points per game (in 32 minutes per contest). However, Gibson’s career field goal percentage is 48.5 percent, which isn’t a far cry from Boozer’s 52.9 percent, even though the latter is more impressive since Boozer has taken way more field goal attempts in his career (13.3 field goal attempts per game compared to Gibson’s 6.8).

But offense isn’t everything, as Tom Thibodeau will tell you and his team every season. And assuming Gibson can pitch in by knocking down a rare 3-pointer every now and then, doesn’t his potential and defensive intensity make up for his current offensive deficiencies? Everyone in the NBA already knows defense isn’t the issue here. Gibson is a much better rim protector, as evidenced by his 1.3 blocks per game in just 23 minutes per game over the course of his career. In 32 minutes per game throughout his career, Boozer’s posted a virtually non-existent 0.4 blocks per contest. The eye test also confirms that Gibson’s a better fit for the Bulls defense, whereas Boozer’s defense fits better with the matadors that let the bulls go right on by. Last season, Chicago’s defensive rating was 101.9 without Gibson and improved to 97.6 with him on the floor.

Although Gibson only grabbed 5.3 rebounds per game last season compared to Boozer’s 9.8, don’t forget that Gibson was also playing 10 fewer minutes every night. If you compare the per 36 minutes numbers, Gibson’s 8.5 rebounds aren’t too far off from Boozer’s 11 projected boards. It seems like a big difference, but don’t forget to factor in that Gibson is three years younger than Boozer and looks about 10 years younger on both ends of the court. Remember what he did to Dwyane Wade a few years ago?

Then you have to remember the money situation. Gibson bulking up, developing a better perimeter shot and still contributing defense sounds great on paper. The only problem is, the Bulls are going to shovel out $15.3 million for Boozer this year and $16.8 million the following season. Boozer will be one of the trickiest problems for Chicago to gauge in the next few seasons for three reasons: 1) He’s extremely overpaid, which means Chicago will look to trade him, 2) Because he’s extremely overpaid, not many teams will be willing to take on that kind of contract and 3) Boozer’s extreme overpaid-ness makes a deal near impossible without giving something valuable up in the process. And did I mention that Carlos Boozer is overpaid?

I’m not trying to undersell Boozer’s game here. He’s an above-average power forward who’s capable of giving you a double-double every night, as evidenced by his 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this past season. But for the ridiculous amount he’s getting paid to do his best “Walking Dead” impression on defense, yes, he’s a bit overpaid. Especially when one considers that lazy defense doesn’t really have a place in Thibodeau’s system.

For the last few years, Boozer’s offense has given him more minutes and the starting job, but Gibson’s defense has kept him on the floor during crunch time when the Bulls need a stop. When all is said and done, Boozer will still be the starting power forward of the Chicago Bulls this season. But if Taj Gibson can develop his jump shot and some team is desperate enough to make an offer for Boozer, the Bulls should be confident in the capable replacement they have on hand. Between his defensive intensity, his offensive potential, his much more favorable contract and the type of athleticism that would surely fire up the United Center at least once a night, it’s about time for the rise of Taj.

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