Derek Fisher Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kyler On Arenas, Hickson, Turiaf, Fisher, Powell

March 20th, 2012 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler checks in on a few free agents and free-agents-to-be, providing updates on their potential destinations. Let's round up the highlights….

Gilbert Arenas is expected to take a physical and finalize his deal with the Grizzlies today.
The Pacers, Cavaliers, and Raptors, who all have enough cap space to easily absorb J.J. Hickson's $2.35MM salary, won't be placing waiver claims.
A number of teams are interested in Ronny Turiaf but "word is" the forward will likely decide between the Celtics and Heat. Like Hickson, he doesn't figure to be claimed on waivers by clubs with cap space.
The Lakers have extended an offer to Derek Fisher to join the team's basketball operations staff. However, it doesn't appear Fisher is ready to retire just yet. We heard earlier today that the Thunder and Heat are the favorites to land the longtime Laker.
Josh Powell is drawing interest from the Suns and Celtics, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reported last night. I believe Powell signed in Switzerland late in February, and I haven't seen any reports that indicate he's parted ways with Neuchatel. The Swiss regular season has ended though, so perhaps Powell is lining up an NBA job for when he returns. Since he hasn't played for an NBA team this season, he can sign after March 23rd and still be eligible for the postseason.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Fisher, Magic, Diaw

March 19th, 2012 at 7:49pm CST by Zachary Links

Let's get you caught up on some items out of the Southeast division on a busy night in the Association..

Count Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel among those who thinks the Heat should make a play for both Derek Fisher and Ronny Turiaf. Earlier today, LeBron James told reporters that he wouldn't mind playing alongside Fisher.
However, Winderman (via Twitter) doesn't see J.J. Hickson as a good fit for the Heat. He believes that the forward would be redundant for the team and while he has upside, Miami is likely looking to make a move for the present rather than the future.
DeSagana Diop was activated in favor of Boris Diaw tonight, but there's nothing new regarding Diaw's potential buyout, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. The Bobcats would like to rid themselves of the forward's contract.
Even without a major acquisition at the trade deadline, are the Magic still good enough to contend this season? The players seem to think so, writes Chris Tomasson of FOXSportsFlorida.com.
Forward Brian Cook says that he'll play hard for however long he's with the Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Washington is willing to accomodate Cook if he wants to play elsewhere and his agent Mark Bartelstein is set to have buyout discussions with the club this week.

Latest On Derek Fisher

March 19th, 2012 at 7:12pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Odds & Ends: Fisher, Bayless, Morey, Draft

March 18th, 2012 at 9:04pm CST by Alex Lee

With Derek Fisher being bought out by the Rockets after being acquired from the Lakers, there is plenty of speculation of where the veteran guard will end up. No longer a difference maker, Fisher's value would likely be as a leader for a contender or as a role model for the younger players on a rebuilding team. David Alridge tweeted that Fisher is not sure what he will do and that he wants to see if his "heart is still in it."

Here are some other notes from around the league on this Sunday night:

Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun examines the effect that Jerryd Bayless' recent play will have on the Raptors' decision making. Wolstat speculates that Bayless could replace the aging Jose Calderon, who has been solid but is not exactly an exciting option for a lottery-bound team. Bayless is a restricted free agent after the year while Calderon is under contract for one more year.
Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle analyzes Rockets' GM Daryl Morey's thusfar-unsuccessful quest to land an All-Star caliber player. Morey, whose shrewd decision making is lauded in many NBA circles, has upgraded Houston's roster repeatedly via trade but has yet to hit a home run.
Moe Harkless, St. John's forward and Big East Rookie of the Year, will reportedly file for early entry to June's NBA Draft, according to ESPN via the Associated Press. It is unclear whether Harkless will hire an agent immediately or is just testing the waters, but the program has scheduled a press conference for Monday.
Jonathan Tjarks from RealGM takes a look at the apparently skyrocketing value of late first round picks. Tjarks points to this year's trade deadline as an example of how the new CBA and a deep draft class caused teams to value picks in the 20s.

Odds & Ends: Odom, Aldridge, Jefferson, Celtics

March 18th, 2012 at 6:51pm CST by Michael Pina

In his first game since becoming a member of the Warriors, Richard Jefferson had a tough go, making just two of 14 shots and scoring nine points in just under 38 minutes of play. On Thursday, the Spurs dealt Jefferson for veteran swingman Stephen Jackson. Due to the approximate $30 million due his way over the next three years (including an $11 million player option in 2013-14 which he's likely to exercise), the Warriors were questioned for making the deal.

Here are a few other notes from around the league.

John Denton tweets that Otis Smith is content with the Magic roster and can't see adding any of the recently bought out vets like Derek Fisher and Ronny Turiaf. CBS Sports' Matt Moore explores potential landing spots for Fisher.
The Blazers have announced a Monday press conference for Jonny Flynn and Hasheem Thabeet, suggesting they passed their physicals (via Mike Tokito tweet).
Yesterday, Yahoo! Sports' Marc J. Spears wrote a detailed feature on Lamar Odom's struggles in Dallas. Inside the piece, Spears notes that Odom formally requested a buyout in February, but was rejected by owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson.
Upon hearing that Ronny Turiaf has officially been bought out by the Nuggets, WEEI.com's Paul Flannery takes a look into whether the Celtics might be interested in bringing the 6'10" Frenchman aboard. Boston made no moves at the trade deadline but with the future of Jermaine O'Neal still in serious doubt, they're still in need of a big man or two.
Since taking over for the Trail Blazers former head coach Nate McMillan, Kaleb Canales has decided to utilize LaMarcus Aldridge more from the elbow. According to CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes, the move was made before Friday night's win against Chicago, and Portland's best player has said he's enjoying the change.

Rockets Buy Out Derek Fisher

March 18th, 2012 at 4:17pm CST by Michael Pina

Derek Fisher has officially reached a buyout agreement with the Rockets, and is expected to hit free agency once he clears waivers, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. In one of the more surprising deals that went down before the deadline, the 37-year-old point guard was dealt to Houston for Jordan Hill and a top-20 protected first round draft pick after the Lakers acquired Ramon Sessions in a separate move.

The Rockets appeared to be in need of another point guard while Kyle Lowry recuperates from a bacterial infection, but they instead chose to sign Courtney Fortson from the D-league.

At this stage in his career, Fisher is seen as one of the weaker guards in the league, but due to this experience in big games (five championships with the Lakers since 2000) he could sign on with a contender upon becoming a free agent. He'll be available to sign with any team except the Lakers due to a new rule in the CBA.

Southwest Rumors: Fisher, Mills, Jackson

March 17th, 2012 at 3:15pm CST by Chuck Myron

Four of the five Southwest Division teams are in action tonight, including the Mavs and first-place Spurs, who meet in Dallas. Here's a quick check around the division:

Though reports suggest Houston will buy out Derek Fisher, coach Kevin McHale's comments, as noted by Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, seem to suggest he'd like to see the point guard in uniform for the team tonight. Fisher has yet to report to the Rockets.
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets that the Spurs would go after Fisher if his rumored buyout takes place, given the team's need at point guard in the wake of T.J. Ford's sudden retirement this week.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports via Twitter that the Rockets are pursuing former Blazers guard Patrick Mills, who has received FIBA clearance to play in the U.S. after signing with a Chinese team earlier this year. That's further suggestion that the Rockets will let Fisher go, as they also signed guard Courtney Fortson today.
Jason Terry believes San Antonio's trade of Richard Jefferson for Stephen Jackson was a "no brainer," reports Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth. Jackson, scheduled to make his debut tonight according to a tweet from Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com, gives them scoring and toughness, Terry says.

Odds & Ends: Blazers, Fisher, Kaman, Rockets

March 17th, 2012 at 12:50pm CST by Zachary Links

If you've gotten a little too caught up in March Madness, don't worry. We'll get you caught up with a look at what's happening around the Association ..

After dealing Marcus Camby and Gerald Wallace at the deadline, Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld.com wonders what's next for the Blazers.
The Wizards would be willing to accommodate Brian Cook if he wishes to play elsewhere, a league source told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. Cook’s agent Mark Bartelstein said on Saturday the two sides will likely engage in buyout discussions this week.
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is sad to see longtime teammate Derek Fisher leave, writes Dave Menamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Rockets will likely buy out Fisher's contract, but the new Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits the veteran from rejoining the Lakers.
Hornets General Manager Dell Demps now says that the club is open to offering center Chris Kaman an extension at the end of the season, writes John Reid of The Times-Picayune. Kaman's name was involved in trade talks but ultimately wound up staying put. It's still possible that the Hornets could buy out the big man, allowing him to latch on with a contender.
General Manager Joe Dumars said that the Pistons stood pat at the trade deadline because there were no quality offers on the table, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Plenty of deals were put in front of Dumars but none of them were enticing enough for him to pull the trigger.
The Rockets' moves at the trade deadline were solid but the club didn't make the kind of blockbuster that some were expecting, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Commissioner David Stern & the NBA did a tremendous job facilitating the new lease agreement between the Hornets and the state of Louisiana, writes John DeShazier of the Times Picayune. The new deal will keep the Hornets in New Orleans through 2024.

Rockets Intend To Buy Out Derek Fisher

March 16th, 2012 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Latest On Lakers’ Failed Trade For Beasley

March 16th, 2012 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

1:36pm: Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld reports a slightly different story on how the Beasley talks broke down, saying the Lakers were trying to send Luke Walton and other "salary dump type pieces" to Minnesota. Ingram suggests the reports on Fisher's inclusion causing Minnesota to back out are Lakers' spin.

10:42am: We heard yesterday that the Timberwolves had backed out of a potential three-team trade that would've sent Michael Beasley to the Lakers, Derek Fisher and Jamal Crawford to Minnesota, and a first-round pick to the Trail Blazers. The Lakers ultimately moved Fisher and that first-rounder to Houston for Jordan Hill, but a few details have surfaced on that failed deal have surfaced today.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Anthony Tolliver would have also been involved in the deal, heading from Minnesota to Portland. McMenamin says the T-Wolves pulled out of the deal with just seven minutes left before the trade deadline, leaving Lakers officials "puzzled and disappointed."

Mike Breshanan of the Los Angeles Times hears from a source that the trade was "whisker-close" to being completed, but that Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor blocked the deal. Presumably, if ownership vetoed the deal, it was for financial reasons rather than basketball reasons, though that's just my speculation.