Derek Fisher Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Deng, Dwight, Union, Gay

January 22nd, 2014 at 3:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Luol Deng had a sarcastic response to a question about whether he’d consider returning to the Bulls in free agency this summer, poking fun at the team’s three-year, $30MM extension offer that he rejected, notes Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Still, Deng won’t rule out a Chicago homecoming.

“I have nothing against (anyone),” Deng said. “What happened, happened. I love Chicago. I’ve been there 10 years. There’s no bad blood or anything. What happened, happened. It is what it is. But for me to sit here and say, ‘I’m taking Chicago out of the equation,’ that’s stupid. I was there for 10 years.”

Here’s more from around the league:

Dwight Howard is returning to USA Basketball after a six-year absence with eyes on being a part of the Team USA squad in the basketball World Cup this summer, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
A judge has dismissed the remaining charges in the lawsuit that former players union executive director Billy Hunter brought against Derek Fisher, and Hunter could be on the hook for Fisher’s legal fees, as Ken Berger of CBSSports.com explains. The ruling doesn’t affect Hunter’s litigation claiming the union owes him $10.5MM.
A report last month indicated the Kings would engage Rudy Gay in extension talks if he performed well, and in spite of his improved play, the team and his reps at Octagon Sports have yet to have that discussion, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Gay scored a career-high 41 points last night.
The Grizzlies have no interest in trading for Pau Gasol, and the Lakers won’t compromise their cap flexibility in any Gasol swap, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who thinks the Spanish center will stay put through the deadline (Sulia link).
The extension that two-year NBA veteran Charles Jenkins signed with his Serbian team includes an escape clause in case he finds work in the NBA, Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia tweets.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com details the convoluted maneuvers that have allowed the D-League affiliate of the Mavericks to acquire Fab Melo. The 2012 first-round pick signed a D-League contract last week.

Western Notes: Fisher, Jackson, Turkoglu

January 15th, 2014 at 7:48pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Derek Fisher is breathing a little easier today with the news that the judge, Huey Cotton, who is presiding over Billy Hunter’s wrongful termination lawsuit had dismissed most of the allegations against Fisher, and all against his former business manager, Jamie Wior, writes Ken Berger of CBS Sports.com. Hunter had alleged that the two conspired to oust him and seize control of the NBPA during and after the 2011 lockout. Cotton ruled that Hunter’s claims against Fisher regarding breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations may go forward, but struck 12 other allegations against the former NBPA president from the lawsuit, including defamation. The judge also ruled that Hunter must pay legal fees for Fisher and Wior related to the claims that were dismissed. The rest of Hunter’s lawsuit is cleared to continue against the NBPA.

Here’s some other notes from around the Western Conference:

Pierre Jackson still hasn’t been able to reach a deal with the Pelicans, who hold his rights after drafting him 42nd overall in last year’s draft. Not long before Jrue Holiday was ruled out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his right tibia on January 10th, Jackson’s representatives requested and received permission to explore trade opportunities. Jackson’s agents, who also represent Holiday, met with Pelicans general manager Dell Demps this week, but Jackson still doesn’t have a contract with the team. This has Jackson and his camp disappointed, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Jackson is currently the D-League’s second-leading scorer at 29.9 PPG, and feels his production warrants some NBA playing time.
The Warriors will be keeping MarShon Brooks, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Brooks was acquired as a part of today’s three-team trade involving Boston and Miami. An earlier tweet by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe had indicated the team might waive Brooks.
Spurs guard Nando De Colo‘s agent denied reports that the player was attempting to return to Europe and play for Fenerbahce, as he told French newspaper L’Equipe (translation via Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia). De Colo is currently averaging 2.0 PPG in limited action.
The Clippers continue to have interest in Sasha Vujacic even as they near a deal with Hedo Turkoglu, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

Odds & Ends: Gay, Pau, Fisher, Jenkins

December 13th, 2013 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Rudy Gay spoke to Sam Amick of USA Today about being traded for the second time in the calendar year, and indicated that he had yet made up his mind about his 2014/15 player option. Gay suggested he’ll make his decision with championship contention in mind, adding, “It’s really not as much about the money as you’d think.” If that’s truly the case, his decision to opt into the final year of his contract won’t be the lock that many expect.

Here’s more from around the NBA, as another week nears its end:

I appeared on the latest episode of The Baseline podcast to discuss the Kings‘ acquisition of Gay, along with a handful of other topics, including the Raptors‘ next move, Omer Asik trade rumors, and the Clippers‘ signing of Stephen Jackson. You can listen right here.
We heard earlier that the Lakers have been listening to offers for Pau Gasol, in part because he and coach Mike D’Antoni aren’t seeing eye-to-eye, and D’Antoni’s remarks today likely didn’t help mend any fences. Responding to Pau’s recent comments about being frustrated by his role, D’Antoni said, “That’s a classic, ‘I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.’ Well, you don’t have trouble getting up to the paystub line. You know what you need to do to get your check. You know what to do. They will. They’ll figure it out.”
Derek Fisher is planning to retire at season’s end, and isn’t sure what his post-playing career will bring, as he tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News: “I’m not going to want to necessarily just sit around the house, but I’ll take a step back from the grind of the NBA schedule and see where my heart and passion takes me.”
Mark Deeks of ShamSports explains in a piece for SBNation.com why the window between December 15th and 19th could result in high trade activity.
In a separate piece for The Score, Deeks examines a number of intriguing unsigned forwards who could help NBA teams this season. Deeks previously looked at guards and bigs.
The Hawks recalled John Jenkins from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Since being assigned to the Bakersfield Jam a week ago, Jenkins appeared in four games, averaging 21.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG. He’ll be in uniform for Atlanta tonight against the Wizards.

Odds & Ends: Waiters, Knicks, NBPA, Vucevic

November 28th, 2013 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! There may not be any games on the NBA schedule tonight, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few updates from around the league to pass along. Let’s check out the latest….

While Dion Waiters may be available, don’t expect to see him in a Knicks uniform, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. According to Berman, New York is seeking frontcourt help rather than another shooting guard as the team explores the trade market and gauges Iman Shumpert‘s trade value.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today rounds up recent union developments and passes along the highlights of fellow USA Today scribe Sam Amick’s Q&A with former NBPA president Derek Fisher, who isn’t wavering on his plans to retire.
Nikola Vucevic doesn’t hold any hard feelings toward the Sixers, who traded him to the Magic a year ago. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has the details and the quotes from Vucevic.
Pierre Jackson is in an unusual situation this season, playing for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede despite the fact that his NBA rights are held by the Pelicans. Dakota Schmidt of Ridiculous Upside takes an in-depth look at the former Baylor guard, attempting to determine whether he has an NBA future.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Billy Hunter Accuses Derek Fisher Of Conspiring With NBA

November 21st, 2013 at 12:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Billy Hunter claimed that former players’ union president Derek Fisher conspired with the NBA on a 50-50 revenue split during the lockout, in a new court filing, tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Hunter names Kobe Bryant as the source of this information, saying Bryant and agent Rob Pelinka called to say the veteran point guard had to cut a deal at a 50-50 split of revenues (link).

The court filing includes statements of support for Hunter from Theo Ratliff, Etan Thomas and Maurice Evans, who were executive members of the NBPA, saying that Fisher had secret dealings with the owners during the lockout of 2011 (Twitter link).

Hunter was ousted as executive director in February amid accusations of him misappropriating funds. The former union head was said to have given cushy jobs to to his daughter, daughter-in-law, and other people close to him while raking in a $3MM yearly salary. That salary was higher than union chiefs in the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball and it appears that he raised it from $2.4MM without proper union consent.

Northwest Notes: Sefolosha, Thunder, Jazz

November 18th, 2013 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s tonight’s look at the Northwest Division as the Blazers, Thunder, and Jazz look for Monday night victories..

There’s no guarantee that Thabo Sefolosha will return to the Thunder next season, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City has never allowed a player like Sefolosha, a five-year fixture in the rotation, to get to free agency, but the defensively-minded guard could be the first. The threat of the luxury tax looms large over OKC and they have a more pressing deal to try to get done with Reggie Jackson, a rising star who is eligible for an extension on July 1. Sefolosha has previously stated his desire to remain with the Thunder.
How good is Jabari Parker? One NBA assistant coach says the Duke star would be the best player on the Jazz today, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. While many have said that Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins is the undisputed top talent in the draft for months now, it appears that the tides have shifted in the last month or so with many execs saying that Parker or Julius Randle could be the first man off the board in June.
Thunder guard Derek Fisher says that he’ll leave nothing on the hardwood this season as it will definitely be his last, writes RealGM’s Shams Charania. “It’s my last season, so I don’t have to worry about pacing myself for next season per say,” Fisher said. “I’m trying to make sure that I’m ready every night for whatever the team needs me to do…it’s just about being a leader by example and continuing to show our guys that you help your team win by doing whatever it takes – not just things that show up on the stat sheet.”

Lakers Rumors: Odom, Paul, Kobe, Fisher

September 26th, 2013 at 2:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, ESPNLosAngeles.com published another excerpt of Jeanie Buss' updated memoirs, "Laker Girl." In this piece, Buss says that she was less-than-involved in the 2011 trade that jettisoned Lamar Odom from L.A. According to Jeanie, her brother Jim notified her of the trade via text, writing, "Traded Odom to Dallas for first-round pick. I think it might make it easier to make a big trade. Will keep you posted. Have a good night." That wasn't the only significant storyline that Buss touched on, however. Here's more from Buss' memoirs and other items of interest on the Lakers..

Buss went on to describe the events that led to Chris Paul being traded to the Lakers and the deal being called off shortly thereafter. In Buss' mind, the timing of the deal rubbed the small-market owners the wrong way as they all just got done ratifying a CBA that was supposed to ensure a more even playing field for all teams. Had the Hornets and Lakers waited, say, two days to pull the trigger, it's possible that the deal never would have been reversed by David Stern.
In an interview in Dubai, Kobe Bryant told Jessica Kahawaty of Yahoo (video link) that he would like to be reunited with a longtime teammate. “My all-time favorite teammate has always been Derek Fisher. He’s been my favorite teammate, I would love to see him back in a Lakers uniform so we could kind of finish out together," Bryant said of the veteran guard.
General Manager Mitch Kupchak is out there searching for diamonds in the rough, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

LeBron James On Possible NBPA Presidency

August 10th, 2013 at 9:03pm CST by Spencer Lund

Late last month, Jason Whitlock of Fox Sports revealed that LeBron James was considering a run for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) Presidency, which has remained vacant since Derek Fisher's term expired this summer.

Today James told ESPN's Brian Windhorst that "my voice could be huge in that situation." As Windhorst notes, the NBPA has come under scrutiny recently after the 2011 CBA negotiations saw the players ceding a significant portion of the league's basketball related income to ownership.

The loss of revenue in CBA negotiations was followed by a scandal involving Fisher and the union's former executive director Billy Hunter involving the use of the union's finances. With all the invective surrounding the NBPA over the last couple years, James has thrown his hat into the ring as the next possible President, with his clout as the league's preeminent star his biggest selling point for the role.

James believes the NBPA is due for an overhaul, saying "I just think the union is going backwards, and it's not in a good place right now." But as the game's best player, the league's biggest name overseas, and a global marketing phenomenon, James might not have the time to serve in that role.

"I'm not sure I have the time to do it, but it's something I'm going to think about with my team and go from there," James revealed to Windhorst on Saturday after an event for his foundation in his hometown of Akron. "But I think we all can agree there's been a lot of transition in our union in the last couple of years. If it's not me in that seat then I hope it's someone who is comfortable with it and can do the job."

The last NBA star to hold the role of NBPA President was Knicks center Patrick Ewing, who served in that capacity more than a decade ago. The union's summer meeting is later in August, and Whitlock wrote that the earliest decision on electing a new NBPA President could come towards the end of August.

Thunder Re-Sign Derek Fisher

July 24th, 2013 at 5:06pm CST by Michael Pina

Derek Fisher will be returning to the Thunder next season, according to NewsOk.com's Darnell Mayberry. The contract is a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of roughly $1.4MM.

Over the past two seasons, Fisher has appeared in 44 games for the Thunder, giving them veteran leadership and filling in in the past for injured guards such as Eric Maynor and Russell Westbrook.

The 39-year-old veteran averaged 8.7 PPG in 11 playoff games last season.

Mutual Interest Between Thunder, Derek Fisher

July 6th, 2013 at 12:23am CST by Chuck Myron

There's mutual interest between Derek Fisher and the Thunder, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The Thunder are considering Fisher, among several options, for the role of third point guard behind Russell Westbrook and Reggie Jackson, but history and "mutual respect" are helping Fisher's case, Berger writes (Twitter links).

Fisher has finished the last two seasons with the Thunder after signing in the middle of the year. The veteran has played a key role in the team's last two playoff runs, averaging 22.3 minutes per contest in the 2011/12 postseason and 23.7 MPG this spring.

If the Thunder bring back the Landmark Sports Agency client, it figures to be on a minimum-salary deal. Even though Kevin Martin agreed to sign with the Wolves, Oklahoma City is still in line to be over the cap, so the team will have to rely on exceptions to replace Martin and improve the roster for next season.