Sixers: 5 bargain bin free agent targets

Sixers bargain bin free agent targets: Taj Gibson

Taj Gibson is a Tom Thibodeau favorite and probably has a spot in New York if he wants it. That said, the Knicks are not contenders. Not real contenders. Gibson played a fairly small role with the Knicks last season, but was one of the most reliable bigs in New York’s first-round loss to Atlanta. The 36-year-old still has some gas in the tank.

This would be a true bargain-bin signing. Gibson is probably not even a full-time backup, but his veteran leadership and generally intriguing skill set make him worthy of pursuit. At 6-foot-9, he’s an absolute hound on defense, with immaculate instincts and a relentless motor.

Gibson would give the Sixers a solid, fundamental defender behind Embiid, a role Dwight Howard could never quite fill. Where Howard was chaos, Gibson is calm. He doesn’t make mistakes, he doesn’t overextend himself, and he doesn’t compromise the defense, so long as he can help it.

Age is a factor here, and Gibson is not what he was even a couple years ago. The Sixers would be wise to have other options in the mix behind Embiid, but Gibson’s rock-solid nature — combined with an impressive 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes — would make him a nifty acquisition.