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Report: Bulls deal McDermott, Gibson to OKC for Payne

USA Today Sports

The Taj Gibson era is ending with a whimper.

The Chicago Bulls are nearing an agreement to send Gibson, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Cameron Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, and Anthony Morrow, sources told Shams Charania of The Vertical.

Gibson spent the entirety of his career with the Bulls after being selected 26th overall in 2009. He developed into a reliable bench contributor and eventually became the heart and soul of the franchise once Joakim Noah's health started to fail.

With Gibson set to hit free agency this summer, Chicago evidently chose to recoup some value for him instead of letting him walk for nothing.

Chicago receives Payne, a promising point guard who could eventually grow into the starting role vacated by Derrick Rose. Payne battled foot injuries this season and boasts modest averages of five points and two assists as the backup to Russell Westbrook over the last two seasons.

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