Thunder trade rumors centered around interest in Bulls’ Taj Gibson

UPDATE: The Bulls and Thunder completed this trade. Here are the details.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are reportedly interested in Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein. Stein reports that the Bulls are making a number of players available before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, including young forwards Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott.

With Sixth Man of the Year candidate Enes Kanter still sidelined after punching a chair and breaking a bone in his arm on Jan. 26, it makes sense that the Thunder are pursuing Gibson. The veteran forward would be an immediate upgrade over rookie Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging just six points per game and shooting about 40 percent from the field.

The Bulls appear ready to move just about anyone on their roster for the right price, as they’re reportedly engaged in talks with several teams, namely the Boston Celtics, about All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler, according to NBA.com’s David Aldridge.

The Bulls’ 28-29 record is good enough for the Eastern Conference’s seventh seed, but they’re about as middle-of-the-pack as it gets, and front office turmoil has exacerbated an already disappointing season.

Averaging nearly 12 points per game along with seven rebounds, Gibson is still a productive player and a force on the defensive end of the court. But between his age (31) and contract (expires after this season), the Bulls might be interested in getting some type of return for him if they don’t plan on re-signing him this offseason.

If the Bulls do pull the trigger on a Butler trade, it makes even more sense for them to deal Gibson — and perhaps obtain a first-round pick or a prospect like Sabonis to help retool the roster.

Despite his age, Gibson is having one of the most productive seasons of his eight-year career. He seems to be in the middle of trade rumors every season — and this season is no different — but the Bulls may be unwilling to move him if they can’t get desirable assets in return.

This is the exact reason why the Bulls and Celtics are reportedly having difficulty negotiating a trade for Butler, according to Aldridge. The Bulls want draft picks in addition to a high-value player like Crowder, and depending on their asking price for Gibson could face similar difficulties completing a trade.

It’s also worth mentioning that Gibson is the longest-tenured player on the Bulls’ roster, and his hard work on the defensive end has turned him into fan favorite in Chicago. If the Bulls can’t find a suitable trade partner, they might find it more practical to keep Gibson around (for now).

Gibson’s friendly, expiring contract would make a good half-season rental for contending teams hoping to bolster their frontcourt defense, and the Thunder fit that description perfectly. Oklahoma City has a number of movable assets, meaning a deal for Gibson should be possible.

But the Bulls’ unwillingness to trade Gibson for a so-so package in return could very well prevent anything from happening before the deadline.