After Derek Fisher and the Rockets reached an agreement on a buyout this weekend, Fisher's business manager Jamie Mior released a statement explaining the decision:
"After much discussion and expressing their desire to welcome Derek to their team this season as well as the 2012-2013 season, the Houston Rockets and Derek have negotiated a buyout. Derek's desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward. We thank the Houston Rockets front office for their interest, time and their absolute professionalism. There will be no further comment at this time."
While we wait to see if Fisher clears waivers this Wednesday, rumors about which teams are interested in signing him have already surfaced. Let's round up a few of them….
- ESPN.com's John Hollinger (via Twitter) notes that Fisher declining his $3.4MM option for next year means that the Rockets were essentially paid $200K to acquire a first-round pick.
- The Blazers aren't interested in Fisher, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Rockets' buyout of Fisher paid him for the rest of this season, but he opted out of all $3.4MM next year, a person with knowledge of the deal told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
- According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Thunder are deciding whether to make a formal bid for Fisher.
- The Clippers aren't interested, says Stein.
- Fisher has strong interest in joining the Bulls or Heat, according to Stein, but it's unclear to what extent that interest is reciprocated.
- Stein adds that the Spurs have some interest, since their signing of Patrick Mills is being held up — according to Stein, the Blazers have yet to renounce Mills' rights, which is odd, since the team tweeted on Saturday that it was done.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) cautions that there's no guarantee Fisher will play for another club this year. The veteran is weighing the option of re-joining the Lakers in a coaching or front office capacity, tweets Kyler. Fisher, of course, can't re-sign with the Lakers as a player this season.
New York Nicks needs a real point guard (and Baron just is not getting the job done). Derek Fisher has been working on the cheap every since he came to Los Angeles. Jeremy Lin will find a true mentor in Fisher and will be a premier Point Guard. With Fisher, the New York Knicks will be able to contend with ANY of the top teams this year…..yeah….that’s what I said, THIS YEAR, 2012. Come on, let’s give Carmello the ring that he so much deserves! Luv my Knicks
Keep dreaming Sis!
ROFL!!! D-Fish will come back to Lakers!! His home!!
Sis – I don’t know what kind of kool aid you are sipping or what drug you are smoking. The Knicks are WEAK. Playoffs? Fat Chance for success there. NY doesn’t even play defense. Wake UP! The TRUE contenders in the East are Chicago and Miami with Orlando far far behind. The Knicks this year LOL – they aren’t even a .500 team! — ya, now i KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SMOKING – CARMELO’S CRACK!
And this is what I have been thinking about Knicks fan. All you need to became a champions is Derek Fisher.Nobody else.Besides bringing “veteran leadership” and “championship experience” he will boost the pharmacy business in NY area. All of the Knicks fans will need a several botles of Xanax, while attending the games or even just watching them from home.Fisher is just the guy you need. Go get him Dolan. What are you waiting for?
Who wants old washed up Derek Fisher anyway. He should stay with the Flakers where he wants to be. Good riddens to bad rubbish.
Front office position with the Lakers is the best destination for this elite veteran!
Elite?
Yes elite! The last starting point guard with 5 rings was Magic Johnson… That alone should be enough to get him a second or third ballot hall of fame entry.
lmao @ ccsnappdragon25
This happened once before with df getting traded to utah and he went back with the lakers the same yr…why can he play with another team>>.he is a cry baby and i hope the bulls dont sign him..the bulls got jl and dr and cj..the bulls should sign g areans for the rest of the season cuz they need another score..
Don’t forget, by virtually every metric, he’s been the worst point guard in the NBA this season. Unless you place a lot of stock in his “clutchness,” he’s basically useless.
I think you r a jerk
And why am i a jerk exactly? Because I’ve studied the numbers? Because I’ve watched countless Lakers games, in with journeymen guards look like hall of famers playing against Fisher? “Leadership” just doesn’t win games when you’re 37 and you’re several steps slower than the guy you’re guarding. I mean, you can see the difference already with the Lakers watching Ramon Sessions play… and he’s not much more than a slightly above average athletic young guard. Anything would have been an upgrade. So before you call names, look at the cold hard facts.
this is the first time he has been traded from the lakers. he left as a free agent to golden state and they traded him to utah. then he was released from his contract by the owner of the jazz so he could go back to la for his daughter as she was having serious health issues. im sure he will retire
he will go to San Antonio and knock out lakers in west finals. damn can’t believe we let him go for practically nothing. so much for loyalty… but prob better than being on bench in a 4 PG system
Seems to me that he would be perfect for the Thunder, to mentor Russell Westbrook and provide some stability in the backcourt. Fisher is a class act and Westbrook would benefit greatly from his presence and championship experience.
I don’t think Westbrook would listen to anyone.
The sad thing is your probably right.
Let him rot in Canada.
I can suggest Derek to end it all. It is time. He needs to retire. You can not compeet at age of 37 agains all this young and quick PG’s in the league. It is not posible.
No question about.Every Lakers fan likes D.Fisher and L.A. is his home. The assistant GM position is vacant. The scouting director position is vacant. There is other front office positions he can be offered. But first, he need to call it quit.
No NBA contender will sign Fisher, even as a third or fourth option. He is just useless. PERIOD.
Hey man, where did you learn to write?
Fisher is a DICK HEAD
Man i bet he might go to bulls or heat… OTOH i would like to see him play with san Antonio
I really would have a hard time visualizing “Fish” in another teams garb, although, “it is what, it is.” They say… Who ever the hell “THEY” are! I do like the sound of “COACH” however.
I LOVE ALL LAKER HATERS EQUAL. After we WIN it again this year all of you will come even harder… Keep comin’ back, SUCKERS!!!
I love the Lakers and watch every game, away or at home, for years.
I think it was HORRIBLE that the Lakers (out of the blue) trades him. I am sure he did not have a clue that it was going to happen. After all the years he has really helped the Lakers win so many games.
TERRIBLE!!!! TERRIBLE!!!!
Do you not listen to all the analysts? Fisher has been on the chopping block for the past two years. He is old and cannot keep up the other guards in the league. NBA teams are businesses and in business when an employee cannot produce they get fired.
Fisher playing with bulls! not a chance, he should retire and surrender his jersey to staple center, he is not the same guy anymore
First the Jazz, and now the Rockets – Fisher sure knows how to get his way with front offices…