Gibson Reflects on Trade Rumors, Still Gives Heart to Bulls

Taj Gibson knows what's going on.  The longest-tenured Bull doesn't earn that title without knowledge on how the NBA works.  With the trade deadline one week away and his contract expiring, he knows he might be on the hot seat.  Not helping to calm any rumors about him is the inconsistency of his team.

But that doesn't mean Gibson doesn't still care about the Bulls.  Read this story from CSNChicago.com and you'll find in the middle that he's been pouring his heart out to the team.  That's the sign of a good player being a good teammate.  It's a big reason Gibson has stuck around Chicago for so long.

At the same time, it really gets you thinking about his future here.  Ever since he was drafted, Gibson has been a great ambassador for the team who knows how to play the game right.  He waited for years to get a regular starting job on the Bulls even though he could have gotten one a lot sooner for a different team.  Regardless of where he is in the rotation at any given time though, his contributions have been level one way or another.

It's not his fault his team has no sense of direction.  It's not his fault his front office brought in the wrong types of players to be his teammates.  And it's certainly not his fault he plays for a coach whose system just can't translate into success.  Yet the business of basketball means his time in Chicago might end soon.

Whenever Gibson leaves, you can almost guarantee he'll keep following the Bulls as closely as he possibly can.  He owes everything to an organization that has financially set him for life.  It's not like he's done anything to irritate the people in charge of it.  That's more than we can say about the so-called leaders on the roster.

The younger players need to look to Gibson on how to be a respectful NBA player.  Even if you don't have the talent of LeBron James or Kevin Durant, you can still be the best teammate and have the right attitude to boot.  That's what being a professional basketball player is all about.  You can gain everything even without winning a championship.

Appreciate whatever time Gibson has left in Chicago.  Thursday's nationally-televised game against the Boston Celtics presents another opportunity.  It's also the last time we'll see the Bulls before the trade deadline and the All-Star break.  If this is also Gibson's final time putting on the red and white, at least he'll do so with the entire country watching and hopefully, those doing so realize it's quite possible they're seeing the end of an admirable era.