Derek Fisher Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Thunder Sign Derek Fisher For Rest Of Season

February 25th, 2013 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

10:16am: The Thunder confirmed the signing via press release.

7:16am: The Thunder and Derek Fisher have reached an agreement on a contract for the remainder of the 2012/13 season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Dave McMenamin and Marc Stein of ESPN.com first reported that the two sides were closing in on a deal.

Fisher, 38, played 20 regular-season games and 20 postseason contests for the Thunder last year after being traded to and bought out by the Rockets. It was suggested that the veteran point guard's brief stint with the Mavericks earlier this season was designed to ensure he remained an "active' player, keeping his spot as president of the players' union. But it appears Fisher and the Thunder feel he has at least one more playoff run left in him, despite early-season knee issues.

The longtime Laker will take over the backup point guard spot that opened up when Oklahoma City traded Eric Maynor to the Trail Blazers last week. A corresponding roster move won't be necessary, since the Thunder had been carrying 14 players, leaving one open spot.

Neither the Yahoo! report nor the ESPN report indicated how much Fisher's deal with OKC will be worth. The Thunder still have a portion of their mid-level exception and bi-annual exception available, but a minimum-salary deal may be more likely. Fisher's deal is expected to be finalized later today.

Free Agent Notes: White, Bell, Fisher

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:35pm CST by Daniel Seco

The trade deadline may have passed but that won't keep teams from finding an extra piece or two to help right the ship. Here's the latest news and rumors surrounding players who may be finding a new home in the coming days…

Doc Rivers says the Celtics are close to signing D.J. White to a deal in hopes of providing depth off the bench as a big man, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter). The team would like to bring in one more frontcourt player to add to the roster.
The Lakers remain hopeful the Jazz buy out the remainder of Raja Bell's contract so that the veteran can sign with Los Angeles, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). The 36-year-old shooting guard would be counted on to provide strong defense and long-distance shooting.
Derek Fisher remains another option available for the Lakers as the long-time veteran is eager to return to the court, writes Kennedy (on Twitter). Fisher continues to work out regularly in Las Vegas and has stayed in close contact with Kobe Bryant since being traded to the Rockets last season.

NBPA Update: Bryant, Hunter, Fisher, Fehr

February 5th, 2013 at 8:26pm CST by Alex Lee

With only 10 days remaining until we find out the fate of Billy Hunter, let's check in on any updates from the NBPA with the latest information up top:

Should Hunter be ousted come All-Star weekend, the NBPA will target B. Todd Jones, the current Minnesota attorney general and acting director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, reports Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. Wojnarowski adds that the NBPA will use an executive search firm to coordinate the process.

Earlier updates:

Kobe Bryant told Ken Berger of CBS Sports that most NBA players – including himself – need to get up to speed on the issues at hand before they can make an informed decision. "I'm pretty ignorant to what the issues are going to be when we show up, so I don't know," Bryant said on Tuesday. "I'm pretty sure most of the players are, so we'll have to educate ourselves. Will a vote come? Probably. We've just got to make sure we're educated enough to make the right the decision."
Resigned to the reality that the owners will always have the leverage, Bryant added that he thought Hunter represented the players "as well as he possibly could." Bryant also seemed to think that this situation exemplifies why the league's stars need to be more active with regard to the union. "You always look at your marquee guys, right?" he said. "Back in the day you had Isiah [Thomas] there, you had Magic [Johnson] there, so you're looking at [Kevin] Durant, myself, Chris [Paul] and guys who are faces of the league. Even if you're not representing your team as far as a union standpoint goes, be a little more active."
As Berger points out, Bryant's noncommital words regarding Hunter's performance come as a surprise given his relationship with NBPA President Derek Fisher, who initiated the review on Hunter. In response to rumors that he wanted Hunter's job, Fisher tweeted the following on Tuesday: "Heard rumors I'm angling for Executive Director. There are people out there better suited for that role than me. No thanks. Not interested."
In a series of tweets, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal indicates reports that a replacement for Hunter has been agreed upon by "NBA power agents" are false (Twitter link). Additionally, Mullen has a comment from a source close to NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr regarding speculation that he will step into Hunter's position: "Don is very happy in his current role and has absolutely no plans to leave the NHLPA. In the future, should the basketball players seek his guidance due to his vast sports union experience there is little doubt Don would provide that, but he won't be leaving his position at the NHLPA." (Twitter links here).

Odds & Ends: Fisher, Cuban, Williams, Landry

December 25th, 2012 at 7:38pm CST by Luke Adams

We hope you're enjoying your holidays and today's NBA quintuple-header! As we look forward to the rest of tonight's action, let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the Association….

Derek Page of HoopsWorld explores whether Derek Fisher's release from the Mavericks could eventually lead to a reunion between Fisher and the Lakers. For his part, the veteran point guard doesn't sound like he's ready to officially retire or immediately sign elsewhere: "My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won’t close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."
Mark Cuban fielded a variety of questions in a recent Reddit AMA, and the Dallas Morning News has rounded up a few of Cuban's basketball-related answers.
We heard earlier that Turkish team Fenerbahce Ulker would buy out Shelden Williams' contract with Elan Chalon, but Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets that such a move now appears unlikely. Williams is expected to finish the season with the French club.
Carl Landry, who signed a two-year deal with the Warriors over the offseason, has been everything Golden State hoped for and more, says Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News.
ESPN.com's Chris Broussard delivers a lengthy profile on Rich Paul, longtime friend and now agent to LeBron James.
Shelvin Mack and Garrett Temple both spoke to the media about signing with the Wizards, and the team's official site has the videos.

Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Fisher, Beaubois

December 24th, 2012 at 12:47pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes on the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Eve:

Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram writes that Dirk Nowitzki is encouraged by his season debut Sunday night for the Mavs.
Derek Fisher's release and retirement from the Mavs surprised teammates, writes Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News would like to see greater contributions from Rodrigue Beaubois following Fisher's exit.

Odds & Ends: Cavs, Varejao, Warriors, Fisher

December 23rd, 2012 at 4:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Out in Brooklyn, the Nets are celebrating a 95-92 win over the Sixers. The Nets have kept the edge over Philly thanks in large part to the play of Joe Johnson, who had 22 points off of 8-17 shooting. For a large portion of the game, coach Avery Johnson seemed to call iso plays for the two-guard, daring the Sixers to stop it. For the most part, they were unsuccessful. Here's more from around the Association.

Bob Finnan of The News-Herald took the Cavaliers to task for over-reliance on young players, and urges them not to trade Anderson Varejao, one of their lone veteran leaders. Varejao's name has popped up frequently in trade rumors as he turns in an extremely strong year for a non-contending team.
The Warriors' expectations have grown exponentially thanks to their offseason moves and there are bright days ahead in Golden State, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Two additions in particular have helped propel the team to an 18-10 record, according to guard Stephen Curry. “Having the same coaching staff back from last year really helps,” Curry said. “You have some familiarity with the system and day-to-day how the team is going to feel and what to expect from the coaching staff. But also bringing Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry in, and for guys to be able to contribute off the bench and a great draft class, three guys that are contributing right off the bat.”
Although Derek Fisher only spent 24 days with the Mavericks, coach Rick Carlisle appreciates what he did for the team and commended him for his professional attitude, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.

Western Notes: Dwight, Fisher, Jack, Maynor

December 23rd, 2012 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dwight Howard gave an update on his health to Sam Amick of the USA Today, saying he suffers from tingling and an occasional loss of feeling in his feet, and gave a slight hint about his plans for free agency in the summer, expressing a desire to inherit the team's leadership role from Kobe Bryant.

"But there's going to come a day where he's going to be gone, and that's when I have to step in and fill that void and take this team to the next level," Howard said. "That's why I'm here. That's why they wanted me here, and I'm going to do my job and my part to make sure this team gets there – and it starts with me."

We'll surely hear more from Howard in the coming months, but in the meantime, here's more from the Western Conference.

When he signed with the Mavs late last month, Derek Fisher had a handshake agreement with owner Mark Cuban that allowed Fisher to leave if he felt he needed to be with family, as he did when he asked Dallas to release him this week. Jeff Caplan of NBA.com has the details. Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles notes via Twitter that there's no family health issue that led Fisher to leave the team.
Fisher endured a contentious year as president of the player's union, but unless he returns to play in the NBA, it appears his tenure will soon come to an end. Fisher was at odds with other members of the union's executive committee, but as SB Nation's Tom Ziller points out, only four of the nine committee members are still in the league (Twitter link).
Jarrett Jack is satisfied with his backup role with the Warriors, and isn't putting too much thought into his unrestricted free agency next summer, as he tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld. The point guard also said he anticipated the Hornets would trade this past summer when New Orleans selected Austin Rivers with the 10th overall pick.
The HoopsWorld scribe also checks in with Thunder point guard Eric Maynor, another point guard set to become a free agent next summer.

Mavs Sign Douglas-Roberts, Waive Fisher

December 23rd, 2012 at 11:25am CST by Chuck Myron

SUNDAY, 11:25pm: The Mavs officially announced the signing of Douglas-Roberts, via press release.

SATURDAY, 5:34pm: HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram (via Twitter) acknowledges a source close to the situation that says Fisher will opt for retirement due to the strain on his body and family.

4:44pm: The Mavs have officially waived Fisher, according to a press release from the team. The release does not mention Douglas-Roberts.

4:12pm: Derek Fisher has told the Mavericks he wants them to let him go, and the team is honoring his request and will put him on waivers, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. In his place, the team will sign Chris Douglas-Roberts. The Mavs signed Fisher to a minimum-salary deal in November.

Douglas-Roberts has been averaging 27.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Texas Legends of the D-League, and was widely viewed as the best talent available in that circuit, Stein writes. Texas is the affiliate of the Mavs, and Dallas signed Douglas-Roberts toward the end of training camp and quickly released him so they could retain his affiliate rights, which allowed the Mavs to place him on the Legends.

Fisher started all nine of the games he played with the Mavericks, and according to Stein, the team appealed to him to allow them to find another point guard after he requested the release a few days ago. However, the 6'7" Douglas-Roberts is a shooting guard, not a point guard. Fisher strained his patellar tendon against the Sixers on Tuesday and has missed the team's last two games, but the Mavs don't believe the injury is serious. As Stein writes, Fisher released a statement that said the recovery time from the injury will be about two weeks, and that he wants to return home to be with his family. Fisher, 38, also hinted at retirement.

"I have made decisions in the past, leaving money and opportunity on the table, and I will need to do that again," the statement said. "My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won't close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."

As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes via Twitter, Fisher's offseason home is in L.A. Stein pointed out earlier this season that Fisher is eligible to sign with the Lakers, who dealt him to the Rockets at the trade deadline last year. The Lakers are reportedly still considering an upgrade to their backcourt, though Fisher, who excelled in the triangle offense, might not be the prototypical point guard coach Mike D'Antoni favors for his up-tempo system.

It was never confirmed whether Fisher's deal was guaranteed, but his statement indicates that he's leaving money on the table, so perhaps the contract was either non-guaranteed or Fisher and the team negotiated a buyout. Otherwise, the Mavs would be on the hook for his salary the rest of the season.

Western Notes: Roy, Conroy, Fisher

December 22nd, 2012 at 10:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are some quick notes out of the Western Conference tonight:

Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets that DeMarcus Cousins has decided to hire Dan Fegan as his new agent, replacing John Grieg. Two of Fegan's most notable clients include Kevin Martin of the Thunder and Lakers center Dwight Howard (All Twitter links).
In what should be encouraging news for the Timberwolves and their fans, Brandon Roy returned to practice today and reported that he felt no pain in his knee (Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune reports). The veteran two-guard had been inactive since undergoing surgery on his right knee last month and hadn't played since November 9.
Will Conroy was at Minnesota's practice today, but attended as a special assistant to David Kahn and not as a candidate to re-join the team as a player, says Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press. The 6'2 guard and close friend of Brandon Roy had been released earlier in the season in order to make room for recently-waived Josh Howard. According to Kahn, Conroy will serve as the team's D-League scout before returning to Seattle to finish his school degree.
When asked about Derek Fisher being waived, coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters to ask GM Mitch Kupchak if the team had any interest in the former Lakers guard (according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles via Twitter). Although we heard an earlier report that Fisher was contemplating retirement, Ramona Shelburne (also of ESPN LA) tweeted that in the event that he would still continue playing, any team who signs him would have to inherit the non-guaranteed deal he signed with the Mavericks.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas provides the current rundown of Rick Carlisle's point guard situation following Fisher's abrupt departure.
Alex Kramers of TheKingsBlog.com elicited the reaction from the Kings locker room as they prepare to compete without DeMarcus Cousins. Coach Keith Smart told the media that the situation will be reassessed within the next few days. On a different and much lighter note, Kramers delves a bit into the minor ties between Jimmer Fredette and the Warriors' Stephen Curry.

Lakers Considering Adding Point Guard

December 11th, 2012 at 11:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

11:43pm: The Lakers’ top target is Jose Calderon, but the Raptors insist on packaging him with others, tweets Stein.

11:29pm: Stein believes the Lakers will also take a look at Mike James and Jonny Flynn, in addition to exploring trades (Twitter link).

10:50pm: The Lakers are thinking about signing Delonte West, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Still, the Lakers will look at other options, though as Stein points out, the team is at the 15-man roster limit. That’s why the Lakers were hesitant to sign Derek Fisher before he went to the Mavs, as L.A. was attemping to trade one of its existing point guards (All Twitter links).

10:19pm: The Lakers have been committed to waiting for Steve Nash to return before making a move, but after a disheartening loss to the Cavs tonight dropped L.A. to 9-13, the Lakers are giving thought to other options at point guard, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Nash expects to be out at least another two weeks, as we heard earlier today, and last week the Lakers announced Steve Blake would undergo surgery on a torn abdominal muscle that was to have kept him out at least another six to eight weeks.

The Lakers have been going with Chris Duhon and Darius Morris at the point, but they combined for just two points and three assists tonight. Free agent options appear to be limited, as the Wizards, also in need of a point guard, took a pass on Ben Uzoh and Blake Ahearn after working out both of them this weekend. Delonte West, Mike Bibby and Eddie House are among some of the more notable names available. Bibby and House have both played for Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni with other teams, but neither saw much time running the offense.

The trade market could be a more fruitful route, particularly once most free agents who signed this summer become eligible to be traded on Saturday. As part of a package that involves Pau Gasol, the Lakers have been linked to Jose Calderon, who acknowledges that he’s on the block. That would represent a drastic move, however, and would probably be overkill if Nash can return later this month. Calderon’s $9.7MM salary figure would prevent anyone from acquiring him unless they were willing to give up a lot, as fellow ESPNLosAngeles.com scribe Arash Markazi points out via Twitter, and the Raptors point man has a 10% trade kicker on top of that. While the Lakers may be exploring their options, the team may simply conclude that it must patiently try to sort out its difficulties until Nash returns.