Bulls bring back Holiday; Gibson joins Thibs reunion
The Chicago Bulls decided to do some building in free agency after all, reaching agreement to bring back swingman Justin Holiday.
The 6-foot-6 Holiday, who played for the Bulls two seasons ago, agreed to a two-year, $9 million deal Sunday, according to multiple reports. After being included in the Derrick Rose trade last summer, Holiday averaged 7.7 points in a reserve role for New York last year.
Holiday, 28, could end up with a significant role on the Bulls, since newcomer Zach LaVine is coming back from a torn ACL and probably won't be ready at the start of the season, while Dwyane Wade may not stick around all season. When he played 27 games for the Bulls in 2016, Holiday was a solid defender and versatile scorer.
Elsewhere in the NBA, another ex-Bull accepted an invitation to the Tom Thibodeau reunion. Taj Gibson agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gibson will join former Bulls all-star Jimmy Butler to help bring veteran leadership and defense to Thibodeau's new team.
The Bulls in February traded Gibson and Doug McDermott to Oklahoma City for Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow. Gibson performed well in 23 games with the Thunder - and was invited onstage last week when Russell Westbrook accepted the MVP award - but OKC's payroll already is high enough that re-signing Gibson was unlikely.
The Timberwolves have built an interesting lineup this summer, adding Butler, Gibson and point guard Jeff Teague to former rookies of the year Andrew Wiggins and Karl Anthony Towns.
Gibson was around for all five years of Thibodeau's coaching tenure in Chicago. Butler was drafted in 2011 and played for Thibodeau during his first four years in the league.
Many Bulls, Gibson and Butler included, seemed to grow tired of Thibodeau's demanding coaching style. Gibson referenced Thibodeau's intensity after the Bulls' drama last season when Butler and Dwyane Wade criticized the team's younger players.
"Man, I've been in some chaotic yelling matches with Thibs and everybody is just going crazy and I'm just sitting there with my eyes open, like, 'Don't call my name please,' " Gibson said in January. "I was shocked how we came out of it. It made us a better team."
After two years apart, everyone seems willing to get back to work. Thibodeau greeted Butler at the airport with a hug after the draft-night trade.
The Bulls fired Thibodeau after the 2014-15 season, replacing him with Fred Hoiberg.
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