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Does Presti pursue Derek Fisher if Houston buys him out? We really need a backup PG with Reggie just not being ready for this kind of pressure as a rookie. Granted Reggie really won't see that many minutes once we hit the playoffs, but still Fisher could bring so much to the table for this team.

Thoughts?

Derek Fisher is about 5 years past when he should have retired.

He would also bring leadership, championship experience, etc. He doesn't even have to play to make an impact really.

I don't see how it could hurt us since he has good veteran championship experience, and that is always valuable.

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@InsideTheMind12 - Completely agree, his value right now isn't necessarily determined by his play IMO.

I'd be more intrigued with Fisher as an assistant coach, then as a player at this point. I'm not sure his mind is at that place right now.

I think any notion that you could recruit Fisher as a player to simply mentor the locker room is a bit naive. I imagine Fisher still wants to play.

If he is bought out, would the Lakers not make an overture?

Fisher's signing would be awesome for the Thunder.
He is way past his prime and he is not a good starting PG anymore, but he would be the perfect backup PG for the Thunder. Put Reggie Jackson is the D League for the rest of the season to develop and give Fisher those 14-15 minutes per game.
I would feel much more comfortable and safe with Fisher as our backup in the playoffs than Rookie Reggie.

sonictecture wrote:I'd be more intrigued with Fisher as an assistant coach, then as a player at this point. I'm not sure his mind is at that place right now.

I think any notion that you could recruit Fisher as a player to simply mentor the locker room is a bit naive. I imagine Fisher still wants to play.

If he is bought out, would the Lakers not make an overture?

I still think he can add some stability to our bench that we don't necessarily have right now with Reg being a rookie. And with the Laker situation I read somewhere that with the new CBA you have to wait a year to resign a player that has recently been traded and bought out.

BIG EDDIE wrote:Fisher's signing would be awesome for the Thunder.
He is way past his prime and he is not a good starting PG anymore, but he would be the perfect backup PG for the Thunder. Put Reggie Jackson is the D League for the rest of the season to develop and give Fisher those 14-15 minutes per game.
I would feel much more comfortable and safe with Fisher as our backup in the playoffs than Rookie Reggie.

I agree with you I'm just not comfortable with Reggie running this bench squad yet. Granted James runs the handle a lot even when Reggie's in the game, but Fisher could help take off that pressure as well.

Make it happen Presti!

Looks like the Thunder have interest.

I have a perfect example of what Fisher would bring...

Taken from the Mavericks - Thunder series last season. Westbrook was doing a bad job distributing so Harden steps in and runs the point while Russ plays off the ball. Harden gets his 6th fowl and everything goes downhill with Westbrook running the point, they go on to loose the game.

With Fisher in this situation, you could sub him in and still run Westbrook off the ball. Not bashing Russell but this is the example I had in mind.

BirdmanPresents wrote:I have a perfect example of what Fisher would bring...

Taken from the Mavericks - Thunder series last season. Westbrook was doing a bad job distributing so Harden steps in and runs the point while Russ plays off the ball. Harden gets his 6th fowl and everything goes downhill with Westbrook running the point, they go on to loose the game.

With Fisher in this situation, you could sub him in and still run Westbrook off the ball. Not bashing Russell but this is the example I had in mind.

plus Westbrook won't go all crazy with Fisher in the game, at least i wouldn't think so. Fish = 5 rings, Russ = 0 rings, he would respect him IMO.

It's weird to see Derek Fisher of the career 3.1 assists per game stat promoted as a player who is going to come in and run a team and potentially save a game in doing so. Especially in an offense he has never played in before.

How is Fisher going to run this offense? Is he going to create opportunities through dribble penetration? Is he going to post up smaller guards? Is he going to set up at the top of the key and rely on his superior vision to find cutters?

Fisher didn't do much to save the Lakers when they were swept by the Mavericks in round one last year. Fishers wasn't able to stop Kobe from running the Laker offense or to distribute the Lakers into easier offensive opportunities. Due to eroding skills and athleticism his team was not in position to try and use his experience or big shot making history at the end of a game because they were already down by several possessions.

I'll buy the idea that Fisher could be a leadership guy in the locker room and that most of the players and coaches would appreciate his intangibles. Perhaps if used in an offensive/defensive substitution pattern at the end of a tight game Fisher could hit a big shot, but that is the role of a third guard specialist not a back up point guard.

sonictecture wrote:It's weird to see Derek Fisher of the career 3.1 assists per game stat promoted as a player who is going to come in and run a team and potentially save a game in doing so. Especially in an offense he has never played in before.

How is Fisher going to run this offense? Is he going to create opportunities through dribble penetration? Is he going to post up smaller guards? Is he going to set up at the top of the key and rely on his superior vision to find cutters?

Fisher didn't do much to save the Lakers when they were swept by the Mavericks in round one last year. Fishers wasn't able to stop Kobe from running the Laker offense or to distribute the Lakers into easier offensive opportunities. Due to eroding skills and athleticism...

Fisher skills are almost completely gone. That is why the Lakers got rid of him, and nearly every NBA analyst was saying that the the Lakers needed an upgrade at PG.

Aside from that, Fisher is an empty shell in terms of personal inegrity. He lies to teams like the Jazz and then squirms his way out of obligations like he did the Rockets. His justification is that he wants to play for a contender, but he ignores the fact that 99% of the rest of the players are out there honoring their contract. Especially someone like Aaron Brooks, who stuck it out in China.

If the Thunder don't sign Fisher, they should start giving Jackson's time to Ivey. Ivey is much better in my opinion.

InsideTheMind12 wrote:If the Thunder don't sign Fisher, they should start giving Jackson's time to Ivey. Ivey is much better in my opinion.

Yup

sonictecture wrote:It's weird to see Derek Fisher of the career 3.1 assists per game stat promoted as a player who is going to come in and run a team and potentially save a game in doing so. Especially in an offense he has never played in before.

How is Fisher going to run this offense? Is he going to create opportunities through dribble penetration? Is he going to post up smaller guards? Is he going to set up at the top of the key and rely on his superior vision to find cutters?

Fisher didn't do much to save the Lakers when they were swept by the Mavericks in round one last year. Fishers wasn't able to stop Kobe from running the Laker offense or to distribute the Lakers into easier offensive opportunities. Due to eroding skills and athleticism his team was not in position to try and use his experience or big shot making history at the end of a game because they were already down by several possessions.

I'll buy the idea that Fisher could be a leadership guy in the locker room and that most of the players and coaches would appreciate his intangibles. Perhaps if used in an offensive/defensive substitution pattern at the end of a tight game Fisher could hit a big shot, but that is the role of a third guard specialist not a back up point guard.

He would do nothing offensively. He would not drive and cut and find open players, he wouldn't post up anyone, he's not going to create his own shot and drill stepback jumpers...Cmon don't state the obvious..

What he is going to do is give Durant the ball when he needs it...Something that seems to not be happening. He will slow down possesions, when the team needs to run a play and get a baseket. If it was Westbrook with the Lakers instead of Fisher HE could of stopped Kobe from getting the ball and running his offense which IMO would of resulted in less championships. Don't use last year as an example, the Lakers looked horrible in the playoffs.

I'm saying he's a great fit in the locker and would be a good mentor to Westbrook, but he could also play the role of a 2nd/3rd string PG (depending on situation) and would benefit the team on the court.

Why not sign him??

Because most of us don't buy into the "Westbrook is freezing out Durant! Kill him!" rhetoric in the same way you apparently do.

If Fisher is going to do nothing but pass the ball to Durant at the top of the key, then why not let Ivey or Jackson do that?

It's reported that Fisher gave up $3.4M, all of next years money to get his release. If he's looking for a deal extending through next year, are Fisher supporters still on board?

I'm not against Westbrook at all, but if his ego gets in the way again in the playoffs it could be a problem. Having Fisher he could mentor him and if he needed to be called upon he could fill in. In a game on the line I rather have Fisher take a clutch shot then Ivey or Jackson.

Contract negotiations are beyond me, so I can't comment about that.

sonictecture wrote:If Fisher is going to do nothing but pass the ball to Durant at the top of the key, then why not let Ivey or Jackson do that?

It's reported that Fisher gave up $3.4M, all of next years money to get his release. If he's looking for a deal extending through next year, are Fisher supporters still on board?

Exactly. Fisher is old and can't even defend anymore. He's not going to do much but shoot threes and maybe dribble the ball up the court. And I don't trust Brooks at all to moderate his minutes.

Fisher wants to win a championship. All he wants is a deal for this season. It looks like he is close to a deal as of right now.

He is a guy who can run the point. With all of the experience in the world.