Chicago Bulls Trade Deadline: Taj Gibson and the Boston Celtics

Time is running out. Not just for potential buyers like the Boston Celtics, but for sellers like the Chicago Bulls. The obvious, hot topic has been the potential of a mega-deal involving Jimmy Butler, but if that isn’t in the cards, it doesn’t mean that the two teams can’t work something out.

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We’ve done a ton of coverage on the Butler situation because it deserves it, but there are other players on this team and several of them are reportedly being shopped around. Taj Gibson is one of those players.

I touched on this briefly in an earlier post about Butler and Boston options. However, the price might be too steep for Celtics GM Danny Ainge. Another trade avenue might be open between the two sides – Gibson.

Taj is a versatile defender, capable of locking up double-doubles on any given night with his ability to crash the boards, defend fours and small-ball fives out to the perimeter and pour in from close range on the offensive end of the court. He’s on an expiring deal which has two benefits: He turns into a decent rental for a deep playoff run, or Boston can enter the summer looking to retain Gibson as part of an effort to apply more pressure to the Cleveland Cavaliers beyond this season.

Bulls send Gibson, Celtics send Jonas Jerebko, James Young, two future second-round picks

Bulls Side

Jerebko is an intriguing piece with some skills, not a long-term commitment and cheap. Young is a player who needs some motivation, but I’m not sure he gets it. The Bulls can do whatever they want with his contract, he’s kind of in the same boat as a lot of the Chicago players. He had enough in him to make the league and it isn’t working where he is right now, perhaps a change of scenery will jump start his career. Chicago really needs draft picks and even a few second-round options might be good for them. Their three best young players – Butler, Paul Zipser, Cristiano Felicio – were drafted 30th or later or not at all. Boston has three second-round picks this year to work with, they also have two picks acquired, one for 2019 and one for 2020, they could work with. At least one this year between the Timberwolves or Clippers picks combined with either of the two later picks wouldn’t require the Celtics to dip into their deep draft pick stash and the Bulls get closer to having draft picks in abundance.

Celtics Side

I’m not completely plugged into the Boston world, but I don’t get the impression that they’re interested in retaining Young and Gibson presents an upgrade at the backup power forward spot. Jonas has skill, but Taj is the kind of player they’ll need when doing battle with the Cavaliers. He also serves as a great option to replace Olynyk when a team like the Cavs goes small at the five. It’s a move that adds veteran, skilled depth on the defensive end of the floor without costing anything on the offensive end where Gibson is still a consistent producer, just not high volume – it’s unlikely he has a 30-point game up his sleeve.

Verdict

The money works and Chicago gets draft picks. They want first-round, lottery picks, but who doesn’t? Boston doesn’t have to break the bank on a player like DeMarcus Cousins or Jimmy Butler, and they get veteran skill and depth for a playoff run this season, potentially beyond if the price is right and things work out for both sides over the remainder of this year.

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You could tinker with the pieces that the Celtics send to the Bulls, but some combination of Boston’s second-round picks are the key here. If Ainge could bear to part with them, he can add a versatile power forward that can play quality minutes at center, giving them the extra depth and defense they’ll need against teams in the playoffs, particularly Cleveland.