Comparing the Value of Forwards Carlos Boozer to Taj Gibson for Chicago Bulls

Carlos Boozer signed a five-year, $80 million contract to join the Chicago Bulls, but his inaugural season with the Chicago Bulls drew some staunch criticism from fans of the game.

Despite his solid averages of 17.5 points per game to pair with 9.6 rebounds, Boozer played in just 59 games due to injury last year, the fourth-lowest total output in a single season of his career.

Although an adjustment period was expected with Boozer's transition to the Bulls, there were a fair amount of observers who didn't think the power forward proved worthy of his extraordinary contract.

Gibson had the look of a solid power forward more often than not last season, and as he's scheduled to make just under $1.2 million. He could very well represent a more worthwhile investment to his club than his counterpart.

Let's put the two under a microscope for a closer comparison.

Offense: Carlos Boozer

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Boozer's approach at the offensive end of the floor is what has made him stand out in the NBA over the course of his career.

While Gibson's offense is predicated largely on shots close to the hole, Boozer has the ability to legitimately stretch the floor as he's capable of hitting jump shots from as far as 18 to 20 feet out.

Although his scoring average dipped from where it previously had been in his first season with the Bulls, that is a direct result of the forward taking a secondary role in the offensive approach.

His contributions are essential to Chicago remaining at the forefront of the Eastern Conference, as the club will need all of the offense possible to fend off Miami at the top.

Defense: Taj Gibson

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Carlos Boozer has never averaged more than 0.7 blocks during a single campaign, and the last time he reached that mark was the 2003-04 season.

Conversely, Taj Gibson has established himself as a force beneath the basket, averaging 1.3 blocks per game in both of his professional seasons thus far.

Furthermore, that already solid average rose to an impressive 1.7 per game last season in 19 games as a starter.

Gibson has shown fearlessness in asserting himself as a leader at the defensive end of the floor, and his contributions have been felt in a big way for his club.

Ceiling: Carlos Boozer

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When Boozer was selected in the second round by the Cleveland Cavs in the 2002 draft out of Duke, it's likely that there was a fair majority of decision-makers that didn't predict the power forward to be this good.

Despite his draft slip, Boozer wasted no time making his presence felt on the court. By his second season in the league, Boozer had already begun posting numerous double-double's, and even finished the campaign with averages of 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds.

After moving onto Utah, Boozer exploded through the roof in terms of his production, registering two straight 20-10 seasons from 2006-08.

Although it's highly doubtful that he suddenly evolves into something even more at age 30, Boozer's ceiling was on full display as recently as a few seasons ago, and there's no questioning what he was able to do for his teams.

Durability: Taj Gibson

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The Bulls received some trade inquiries on Gibson prior to the deadline last season, and it's fairly easy as to see why another club might be interested.

Unfortunately for those parties that would like to acquire Gibson's services, he likely won't be available.

Boozer is an injury-prone forward no matter how one slices it. He has never played in a full complement of contests, and has played less than 60 contests in four seasons.

Despite banging around beneath the basket with regularity, Gibson has missed just two of his first 164 regular season games. In a league where fewer players are seeing the court for a full slate of action, Gibson has had no problem remaining on the court.

To put the icing on the cake, Gibson played through a "painful" turf toe injury last season, which was the same type of issue that hampered Boozer in the postseason.

Fit with First Unit: Carlos Boozer

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Although Gibson's stats as a starter are impressive given that he was thrust into the action, Boozer is a better fit with the Chicago's starting unit as it's currently constructed.

With Derrick Rose leading the offensive charge, Boozer has settled into a nice role as the secondary option in the offense, and although he sometimes takes a backseat to Luol Deng, Boozer's ability to contribute has really contributed to the rise of the Chicago team.

There aren't a lot of power forwards with the abilities to contribute offensively in the way that Boozer has illustrated capable of doing on a consistent basis, and his presence in the lineup has undoubtedly helped the Bulls grow as a cohesive unit.

Value: Taj Gibson

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This isn't meant to discount what Boozer provides to the club, but comparing the two contracts of the forwards is really no comparison at all.

Despite Boozer's contract being back-loaded (he'll make $15 million in 2011-12*), Gibson looks like a serious steal as his primary reserve considering that he's ticketed to make just $1.195 million*.

While both players certainly serve a very specific role on the team, Gibson's ability to contribute in a multitude of areas and make his presence felt on the defensive end is really what makes him the better value between the two.

There's no doubt that Gibson will be in line for a substantial pay raise when his rookie contract eventually expires.

*=Denotes scheduled salary, actual payment TBD by CBA Negotiations

Rebounding: Carlos Boozer

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Gibson is a solid rebounder in his own right, but Boozer gets up on the glass with a lot more efficiency than most of his counterparts.

The presence of Joakim Noah as Chicago's starting center saps some of the rebounding numbers out of Boozer's final stat line; Boozer registered several impressive performances on the boards last season, including five games of at least 15 rebounds.

He has averaged 10.1 rebounds over the course of his career, so this one shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

Having said that, this is definitely a category to re-evaluate in a few years down the line if and when Gibson takes on a more prominent role and receives increased playing time on a consistent basis.

Winner: Carlos Boozer

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While there's definitely a compelling case for Taj Gibson considering he's still only 26 years old, Carlos Boozer has an established track-record that simply cannot be ignored.

Despite the power forward never being a harbinger of health at any point in his career, he should still prove to be a valuable asset and one that lives up to the worth of his contract.

His presence down low was essential in the Bulls taking off to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, and the talented power forward should be able to contribute in a significant fashion for the Bulls and the team's title hopes.