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I ain’t mad at you Fish, there probably wouldn’t even be a season this year if it wasn’t
for you helping out with the lockout and then the Lakers owner trades you after all you
did help then get 5 championships without even saying a word to you about it. As long
as you don’t go play for the Heat, then its all good….
The Houston Rockets are finalizing a buyout with former Los Angeles Lakers guard
Derek Fisher, according to a league source. Fisher, 37, had played in 537 consecutive
games prior to being dealt to the Rockets. Fisher had made no public statements since
his surprising trade from the franchise he’d won five championships with. Lakers gen-
eral manager Mitch Kupchak admitted that he hadn’t given Fisher or his representa-
tives a heads up that a trade was in the works, and that he understood if he was “emo-
tional” over the situation. “He may have caught wind of the rumor a day or two ago,
but there was no heads up given,” Kupchak said on Thursday. “It’s not necessary, be-
cause a lot of times there’s nothing to the rumors. How many times was one of our players
traded in the last 10 days and it never took place? So you can’t spend your time dispell-
ing or confirming rumors. “But when something like this does happen, I can imagine
what he’s going through. I’ve never really gone through it, but to be in one place, to have
the kind of contribution, midseason, it’s got to be pretty emotional. We’ll talk at the right
time.” Fisher would normally have had 48 hours to report to Houston for a physical for
the trade to be completed, however the Lakers and Rockets mutually agreed to extend
that deadline to 72 hours, a source with knowledge of the situation told
ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Fisher had a $3.4 million player option for next season and is expected to be officially
waived Monday. Fisher would the be free to sign with any other team but the Lakers if
he clears waivers by Wednesday.
