Noah and Gasol expected to lead the frontline for Bulls next season…
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Chicago Bulls big man Taj Gibson is reportedly ‘not thrilled’ about coming off the bench behind Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol next season.
Despite claims from Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau that all three could be starters, it is highly unlikely that that line-up will be a reality, and so ultimately one of the trio will have to take their place on the bench.
With Noah coming off the back of being named the Defensive Player of the Year last season coupled with Gasol’s impressive summer performances and the fact that he has arrived after leaving the Lakers for the very reason of not playing enough, it is likely that Thibodeau will keep Gibson on the bench.
Gibson came off the bench in 74 of his 82 games last season, and although he might of hoped to have been promoted to the starting-five after the Bulls used the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer, Gasol’s arrival pushes him back down the pecking order.
“Privately, Gibson isn’t too thrilled with the prospect of continuing to be a reserve, according to multiple people familiar with the situation, but the upbeat, team-first player values winning and chemistry too much to make it an issue or distraction,” Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago reports.
The 29-year-old was a key player for the Bulls last year and will likely play a fundamental role again this year, but it is no surprise given his development and importance last season that he would be pushing for a bigger role in the team.
Gibson averaged 13 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game last year, and given his professional attitude and commitment to the Bulls, it is likely that he will continue in the system and play a huge role in helping the franchise in getting to their ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship.
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