NBA Trade Deadline: Five players Orlando Magic could pursue

Taj Gibson

The Magic badly need a strong interior defender and a player who can block some shots, providing a defensive anchor next to Nikola Vucevic.

Bulls’ reserve Taj Gibson has made that his calling card, along with a great ability to follow up missed shots and grab offensive boards.

This move would not radically improve the Magic, and it might hurt in some senses if Frye’s court-stretching abilities were not taken over flawlessly by Andrew Nicholson or if the team could not change styles to fit Gibson in the starting lineup.

Even so, Gibson would help alleviate some of the issues caused by a slow-footed Nikola Vucevic. In short, this would be a move to aid the defensive efforts, while it might cause some issues on the offensive end. Also, Gibson and Aaron Gordon would be a deadly defensive combination.

Gibson is also on a relatively reasonable deal — $17.5 million for the next two years — and his deal expires after next season, giving the Magic tons of short-term flexibility.

Gibson is not seeing a ton of minutes under first-year coach Fred Hoiberg, so it is entirely possible the Bulls may covet Frye’s services and look to move in that direction with their power forward position. Moreover, Pau Gasol has said he is likely to leave this summer, so Frye would give the Bulls a frontcourt player to slot into Gasol’s spot next to Joakim Noah.

Of course the Bulls are in a rather horrible situation not really being able to rebuild with Derrick Rose on the payroll, so it would certainly require putting together an alluring package to get Gibson. The soon-to-be expiring nature of his deal makes him valuable to the Bulls as they rebuild.

That is to say, the Magic would likely need to sweeten the deal with a pick.

In any case, a player like Gibson brings Playoff experience, a hunger to start and bring competition to the roster and a defensive reputation to support the Magic as their rebuild continues.

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