Fisher Not Planning On Retirement

[chefy]

Derek Fisher is 35 and doesn't have a contract beyond this season with the Lakers.

Fisher's thoughts are on helping the Lakers win consecutive championships, on playing his best to help the cause.

"I put aside as far as me thinking this could be it in terms of my last postseason playing basketball," Fisher said. "I know for sure that's not true.

"This is the last year on my contract. I know I want to play basketball after this. I will play basketball as long as somebody is willing to offer me a job. But that doesn't mean that it's going to be on a team that can win a championship.

"So, from that perspective now is the only thing that matters. You can't think about next year. You can't think about the past. It's just about right now."

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what do you guys think do we resign fish next year?

[KingLakers]

The Lakers will resign him he'll probably come off the bench next season he'll be the new Brian Shaw a vet who comes off the bench and makes a big plays.

[futurecash]

the guy has countless rings. move aside for the young guys. go play at the YMCA!!!!

[Danny Darko]

cheap contract, mentor/backup shooter roll would be fine with me. But if he needs to start he can go straight to hockey sticks.

[blix]

cheap contract, mentor/backup shooter roll would be fine with me. But if he needs to start he can go straight to hockey sticks.

I can't count how many times recently I've cursed Fishers name. Can't count on him. If he hits a big shot it's a bonus.

Makes no sense that he's still starting, he could bring more value to the bench, me thinks.

[DoctaJ]

cheap contract, mentor/backup shooter roll would be fine with me. But if he needs to start he can go straight to hockey sticks.

Yup, I agree with this.

[Desiderium]

And who do you propose our starting point guard be? Farmar? Lol

[KingLakers]

Im pretty sure Fisher has a role off the bench with the Lakers next season he won't start anywhere else. Basically he can be a bench player on a non contender or he can be a bench player on the Lakers where they'll be contending for at least the next couple of years
.

[blix]

And who do you propose our starting point guard be? Farmar? Lol

Shannon Brown is better than Fisher, and I don't think the difference is very small.

[Desiderium]

i dont see shannon as a starting pg. yah hes good but best suited as the backup sg

[chefy]

if the lakers resign him, the best role for fish would be like ala sam cassel when he was signed by the celtics in 07-08

though IMO 07-08 cassel was better than current fisher

[blix]

i dont see shannon as a starting pg. yah hes good but best suited as the backup sg

he has the skill set to play PG in this offense. he's not as strong as Fish, but he can do a decent enough job on D and hit open shots. just my opinion, but I cringe every time Fish has the ball these days. frustrating, because he's always been a favorite of mine.

[Slava]

i dont see shannon as a starting pg. yah hes good but best suited as the backup sg

he has the skill set to play PG in this offense. he's not as strong as Fish, but he can do a decent enough job on D and hit open shots. just my opinion, but I cringe every time Fish has the ball these days. frustrating, because he's always been a favorite of mine.

Shannon has defense and shooting but his handles are terrible. You could say Kobe and lo can do all the ball handling but still for a 1 guard he's pretty bad.

[blix]

given the choice of Kobe/Odom bringing the ball up and Brown playing the 1 vs. Fisher, I would without question eat the red pill.

[The Skyhook]

I have no problem with Derek Fisher being on this team. However I do have a problem with the Lakers not having a legit starter at the 1 spot. Derek Fisher off the bench would be great for both parties. Fisher plays for the Lakers like he wants to while playing a role on the team where he can be most efficient at this stage of his career as a player.

Fisher is an older player so playing the bench role allows him to get more rest so that when he is on the court he has some fresh legs. It could change the identity of the bench by slowing down the tempo at which the bench plays at. Lamar/Farmar/Brown all thrive playing in a fast tempo with no set offense. With Fisher being on the bench you cannot really play with that sort of tempo. That is the one thing that does make me object Fisher being on the bench. However I would still like to see Fisher as a bench player opposed to a starter if he still is going to be on the Lakers.

[LAKESHOW]

the facts are he is having trouble stayin in front of the young guns in this league. but the other fact is remember 3 he hit late in the game?? the fact is he will provide that STUNNA type of shot in late game situations when needed. but sheeesh, guys are driving by him at every opportunity. BUT AGAIN, he does provide the BIG SHOT in tight situations. i guess we will, as well as I, are going to have to live with that.

[Gerald3Wallace]

id rather have brown at the point next year....especially if we dont bring anyone else in.

[Showtime:Part2]

brown's decision making is worse than farmar's he jacks up horrendous contested jumpers with high frequency. id rather have farmar start who at least usually only shoots jumpers when he's open and drives otherwise.

[Dr Aki]

fisher is there for defense (however little) and decision making (also however little)

theres a wierd stat that despite fisher's poor play, he actually has the least worst PER differential of all the lakers PGs...

so farmar/brown taking over from fisher?? not a chance, however with MLE in hand, the lakers can feel free to relegate fisher to backup

[ALL HAIL]

Unless the Lakers can get a stud ala Artest or the guy I wanted last year Jason Kidd, you HAVE TO keep that full MLE in your pocket.

You don't go spending that MLE "all willy nilly."

Those desperate mid level deals to fill holes in your lineup are some of the worst in the league (ie Walton,Vujacic, Radmanovic, Jerome James, Jared Jeffries, Posey, Marcus Banks, etc). Although to be fair some have paid off (Jarret Jack and Pietrus off the top of my head).

I really can't think of any PG available who is worth 5-6 million per over 3-5 years. And please don't say Foye. He definitely has potential but is not worth 5 million a year ... I'd definitely call that overpaying out of desperation.

With regard to Fisher, I've been saying it all year even in his deepest struggles, he should definitely remain the starter this year. Brown and/or Farmar have to snatch that job from the clutches of Fisher's tight jaws before they have the honor of being the starter ... that hasn't happened and won't happen even though both (especially Farmar) have had ample opportunity to do so. Until one of them takes that job, through good, steady play, it's Fisher's job.

Next year, you trade one of the centers (Gasol or Bynum) for a legit-ready PG or legit PG prospect (plus a servicable big) and then sign and trade Farmar (2-3 mill per) to the Clippers for Steve Blake.

Blake comes aboard as either a solid backup PG to a more defensive and dynamic starter or as a temporary starter to a more defensive and dynamic PG prospect who isn't quite ready to run the triangle yet.

Fisher is resigned for the minimum to be a fourth guard and teacher off the bench for all the guards especially Jimmer Fredette, who the Lakers should take in the second round.

Problem solved.