Toronto Raptors: Trade Deadline Rumors Roundup

Could Taj Gibson Be A Raptor?

It’s pretty much a yearly tradition that Taj Gibson gets included in the inevitable trade talk but a move for him has never come to fruition.

This year is no different as Gibson’s name has once again been floated out as a possible trade candidate. Where the Raptors come in comes courtesy of Zach Lowe of ESPN.com in which he reveals a potential swap between the Bulls and Raptors:

"Chicago and Toronto had initial discussions on a Taj Gibson-Patrick Patterson swap that would give Chicago yet another stretch power forward and trim its tax bill, but those discussions appear to have led nowhere so far."

Putting aside the specific swap, Gibson’s an intriguing fit for the Raptors.  He’d fit along nicely in the Raptors’ defensive resurgence as Gibson has been a strong positional defender throughout his career and could be a good fit next to Jonas Valanciunas.

However, at 30 years old and with the long list of injuries he’s had, can you legitimately rely on Gibson when the playoffs roll around a couple of months from now?

Furthermore, his current contract expires in the summer of 2017 and the Raptors will have to ask themselves the same question they’re asking right now.