Taj Gibson finally agrees to a four year contract extension with the Bulls – NBA News
The Chicago Bulls were able to reach an agreement with Taj Gibson over his contract extension just at the last minute here on Wednesday night. Gibson is currently in the final year of his contract, meaning that he would have become a restricted free agent next summer had the Bulls not given him an extension. The Bulls knew that they might have to pay more to keep Gibson next summer if he tests free agency and is allowed to receive offer sheets from other teams. The Bulls lost a key player in Omer Asik the same way this past summer, after they refused to give him an extension and the Houston Rockets gave him an offer in the summer that the Bulls did not want to meet.
After having lost virtually all their bench players this past summer including the likes of Kyle Korver, Omer Asik, C.J. Watson and John Lucas III, the Bulls probably did not want to take the risk with a player of Gibson’s talent and dedication. Over the past few seasons, he has proven to be a reliable back up to the Bulls front court, and is particularly very good on the defensive and rebounding end. Having him on the roster for another four years would give the Bulls some much needed stability and support in a roster that is reeling from uncertainty with all the new signings.
For Gibson’s part, there is the possibility that he could have made more money had he tested free agency, but he also knows that having a secure future is perhaps more important. Also, Gibson has the chance to be part of something big, if Derrick Rose returns well from his ACL injury and the Bulls add a few pieces to the team in the coming few seasons. Additionally, Gibson is happy to be in the Bulls team because he loves the system that Head Coach Tom Thibodeau is running, and knows his value and importance in the team.
“Pax and Gar stressed they wanted me here a long time. It dawned on me I didn’t want to be a selfish player. I wanted to get what’s fair. It’s a lot of money. I can’t really turn it down, especially for the security. You never know what can happen during the year. At any given moment, I could pull a groin or hurt my knee,” said Gibson.
The contract can go up to a reported $38 million over the course of the four years as it includes a number of incentives. However, the base salary of Gibson is said to be $ 8 million each year. Now that his contract is all sorted, Gibson will be looking forward to playing his role in keeping the Chicago Bulls in playoff contention till the time their star player Derrick Rose returns from injury.
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