The Rockets will buy out the remainder of Derek Fisher's contract, according to Fran Blinebury of NBA.com (via Twitter). Speculation that Houston would buy out Fisher began almost immediately after the Rockets acquired him yesterday, with Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweeting earlier today to "expect [a] buyout."
Fisher's cap figure is $3.4MM this season, with a player option worth the same amount for 2012/13. The Rockets have been attempting to clear cap space for this summer, so if the Rockets and Fisher agree on a buyout, we'll see how much of next year's figure Houston can clear from its books.
If a buyout is finalized before next Friday, Fisher will be free to sign with any team in the NBA besides the Lakers. Since L.A. traded him, the veteran point guard is prohibited from rejoining the Lakers this season, under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
a team like the clippers might sign him for depth off the bench for the playoffs/ leadership or even the Heat for the same reason
I don’t understand what a buyout on a players contract is and why the Rockets would do it after trading for Fisher. Could anyone shine some light on this subject for me please,
Thank You
Fisher is still owed $3.4MM next season and whatever’s left on his $3.4MM this season. If he and Houston negotiated a buyout, it would mean Fisher won’t receive all that money — the team would pay him a portion of it and allow him to become a free agent and sign elsewhere. The benefit for the Rockets is that instead of having Fisher’s $3.4MM on their cap next season, they’d only have, say, $1.5MM (or whatever amount they negotiated).
Thank you, makes a lot more sense now.
i think fisher is smart enough not to go to the heat or clippers as it would ruin his lakers legacy.
no…it wouldn’t
no..
Not his fault he got traded. If going to one of those teams is his best option, he should. It won’t hurt any legacy. Ownership traded him, it’s their own problem.
truth be told what does he have left to prove I think he will call it a career