Shams: Gibson will sign a two-year contract with the Grizzlies, marking his 17th season in the NBA.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday, 40-year-old Taj Gibson is set to return to the NBA as a free agent. He has agreed to a two-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, marking his 17th season in the league.

Gibson is a 2.06-meter (6'3") forward weighing 105 kilograms who entered the NBA in 2009 as the 26th overall pick in the first round. He played for the Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, and Charlotte Hornets, accumulating 1,002 regular season games. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 23.0 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 51.7% and a three-point percentage of 26.6%.

Gibson also played 71 playoff games, averaging 7.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.0 blocks in 22.3 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 51.9%.

The Grizzlies currently sit 11th in the Western Conference with a 21-36 record, six games behind the play-in tournament. They hope Gibson can bring a positive impact to the locker room and roster with his experience and leadership.

To make room for Gibson, the Grizzlies had previously reached a buyout agreement with 32-year-old forward Lee Kyle. Since being traded to the Grizzlies earlier this month, Kyle has played a total of 4 regular season games, averaging 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals in 20.5 minutes per game.

All signs indicate that Kelly's next step after leaving the Grizzlies is to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He played for the Timberwolves for two seasons (2022-2024), during which he appeared in 148 games, averaging 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 25.3 minutes per game.

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