​Earlier this week, the Memphis Grizzlies struck a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans that spelled the end of the veteran big man Taj Gibson’s time with the team.The 41-year-old has since taken to Instagram to say goodbye to the Grizzlies, offering a heartfelt message.”Thank you to the @memgrizz organization for giving me the opportunity,” he wrote. “From the front office, coaching staff, my teammates, and everyone behind the scenes — I’m truly grateful for the love and respect you showed me.”Gibson had a unique tenure with the Grizzlies. They signed him in the middle of the 2025-26 season to a two-year deal, but his salary for the second season wasn’t guaranteed, which made him a candidate to be waived this offseason amid Memphis’ roster crunch.Instead, he was traded to the Pelicans, who ended up waiving him themselves right after acquiring him.Gibson didn’t see a ton of action on the floor for the Grizzlies after they signed him, but he certainly made an impact as a veteran leader. Last season marked his 17th in the league, giving him nearly two decades of experience to draw from and help a young Memphis squad.The fact that the Grizzlies gave him a chance caught the attention of his former teammate Jeff Teague, who explained that Gibson’s role said something about Memphis’ perspective on veteran leadership. Teague later called Gibson “one of the best teammates” after learning that the journeyman had been traded away by the Grizzlies this week.On the hardwood, Gibson made just 10 appearances for Memphis after being signed. He averaged 3.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.7 minutes of action per contest.His production has been modest in recent years, and he’s made just 67 total appearances across his last three NBA seasons.But earlier in his career, he was a solid rotation piece, spending some of his early years as a bench player and frequent Sixth Man of the Year threat before having a run as a pretty consistent starter for several seasons. He holds career averages of 8.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.Gibson is the second-oldest player in the NBA behind the legendary LeBron James. As such, it’s unclear if he’s going to get another chance to suit up in the league, especially with his production dwindling.But if there’s a team out there that values what he can bring to the table as a veteran voice, he may have a shot to land another contract. Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem played that role for many years, and it may be the path Gibson will have to take if he wants to extend his career any further.