Retire Role Players' Jerseys?

[PeeDee]

Not Wolves related, but I wanted to see what other non-laker b-ball fans thought. Fisher is not going to be a hall of famer. However, I have the strong opinion that the Lakers should retire his number when he calls it quits. He's been so clutch and has been a pretty important role player in most of their recent title runs. What do you think? Should Fisher's jersey be hung in the rafters of the Staples Center?


Edit: I guess this conversation can be expanded to, are role players numbers retire-able?

[Stephen S]

Not Wolves related, but I wanted to see what other non-laker b-ball fans thought. Fisher is not going to be a hall of famer. However, I have the strong opinion that the Lakers should retire his number when he calls it quits. He's been so clutch and has been a pretty important role player in most of their recent title runs. What do you think? Should Fisher's jersey be hung in the rafters of the Staples Center?


Edit: I guess this conversation can be expanded to, are role players numbers retire-able?

Retiring numbers should be reserved for players who more than anything have played with one team a long time and have been the a major portion of that teams "face."

I think Fisher definitely should get consideration. I think of him more than any other Laker besides Kobe, but even then I really see Kobe on an island and Fisher as the face of the team.

[Klomp]

This (referring to Derek Fisher) was brought up on ESPN First Take. I think it was Both guys said no. Especially with the Lakers, looking at the retired numbers, you are looking at some of the best players not only in Lakers history, but in NBA history as well.


Honestly, I don't think Sealy's number would be in the rafters were it not for his tragic death. Sad, but the way it is.

They may honor him by inducting him into the team Hall of Fame (I'm guessing they have one?), but they won't retire his number.

[Krapinsky]

It's the Lakers. If you retired Fisher types you'd begin to run out of numbers.

[PeeDee]

I dunno. They won't be retiring Shaq's, they shouldn't be retiring Gasol's. Bryant is the only one that's a shoe in. I'm guessing retired jerseys are going to be A LOT harder to come by than in previous generations.

Regardless, I think Fisher has had a remarkable career and it'd feel good as a general fan of basketball to somehow see it acknowledged.

[The J Rocka]

This (referring to Derek Fisher) was brought up on ESPN First Take. I think it was Both guys said no. Especially with the Lakers, looking at the retired numbers, you are looking at some of the best players not only in Lakers history, but in NBA history as well.


Honestly, I don't think Sealy's number would be in the rafters were it not for his tragic death. Sad, but the way it is.

They may honor him by inducting him into the team Hall of Fame (I'm guessing they have one?), but they won't retire his number.

Speaking of death to NBA players anybody feel that we should have honored Eddie Griffin? I know we released him right before his death if I remember right but I still felt out of respect we could have retired his number or something. He had a difficult life and I felt sorry for him.

[Krapinsky]

I'd guess Shaq's is getting retired. He was the best player on three championship teams. Pau -- too early to tell. If he get two more rings -- good chance. I would say Odom has a better case than Fisher.

[PeeDee]

I'd guess Shaq's is getting retired. He was the best player on three championship teams. Pau -- too early to tell. If he get two more rings -- good chance. I would say Odom has a better case than Fisher.

I usually agree with what you say or can see reason behind your posts, but this just boggles my mind.

Fisher has won more playoff games for the Lakers than Odom has even bothered to show up for.

[Krapinsky]

I've been in LA for along time and have had similar discussions with a number of Lakers fans. Lamar has been the second best or the third best player on the Lakers for six years and has three more years on his current deal. Without Odom they don't win in 2009. Can't say the same thing about Fisher in any year. Fisher has never been the third best player on the team (doubtful he was even ever the fourth best) and as long as I can remember has always been the focus of complaints during the regular season. Moreover, Fisher is a career 9 ppg scorerer, 3.2 assists, and 40% shooting. He's never shot better than 44% ever and he's never averaged more than 12 points per game.

[LordBaldric]

This topic was on the Lakers' board recently. Pretty much no-one supported Fisher's # being retired.

[PeeDee]

Odom is a better player. Odom has better stats. Fisher is the definition of a lower tier role player. I think these are things we can all agree upon.

Am I wrong in remembering how clutch Fisher has been though? Am I wrong that he has hit a ridiculous amount of clutch playoff shots that have led to the Lakers winning? I can think of several instances where his clutch-ness has prevented them from being eliminated. That's pretty valuable in my mind.

Edit: I do realize that most of my experience with Fisher is through the playoffs. I do not get to see him a whole season. So I concede that his clutch moments weigh heavier in my mind than they probably should.

[PeeDee]

Okay, I get why THE LAKERS wouldn't do it. But let's expand the conversation. Should role players, in general, be considered for the honor?

[LordBaldric]

I don't see the Vikings or Twins retiring non-star players, so I'd say no. Just because the Wolves have not been as sucessful doesn't mean we should lower our standards.

[Devilzsidewalk]

Sure why not. Just gonna give you a headache to try and establish a line of sanctity in what is and what isn't deserving of retiring a number. When we're all on our death beds we won't give it a single thought, ergo it matters not. So I say go for it, retire as many numbers as you want. The league should consider itself lucky if it lasts to a point where a team has retired so many numbers that they have to expand to triple digits.

[southern wolf]

I think having your jersey retired should be a very rare honour, left for a select few of the all-time greats of a team. I mean Boston have retired 21 numbers, they obviously have a great history, but isn't that taking it a little far? There are other ways of honouring players, but it's not a big deal.

[Klomp]

I don't see the Vikings or Twins retiring non-star players, so I'd say no. Just because the Wolves have not been as sucessful doesn't mean we should lower our standards.

They don't retire their numbers, but they do honor them by inducting them into their team hall of fame:

Vikings: http://www.vikings.com/team/history/ring-of-honor.html
Twins: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/hist ... famers.jsp

And who said anything about the Timberwolves lowering their standards?

[LordBaldric]

I don't see the Vikings or Twins retiring non-star players, so I'd say no. Just because the Wolves have not been as sucessful doesn't mean we should lower our standards.

They don't retire their numbers, but they do honor them by inducting them into their team hall of fame:

Vikings: http://www.vikings.com/team/history/ring-of-honor.html
Twins: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/min/hist ... famers.jsp

And who said anything about the Timberwolves lowering their standards?

The question was retiring the jerseys of role players, not giving them another lesser honor. Generally retiring a player's # is reserved for the cream of the crop. Thus retiring role players' #s = lowering standards.

The only past Wolf who should have his # retired is KG. The biggest joke retirement in the league though goes to Miami for retiring MJ's #.

[Klomp]

Generally retiring a player's # is reserved for the cream of the crop. Thus retiring role players' #s = lowering standards.

So, are we lowering our standards by having number 2 in the rafters?

[LordBaldric]

Generally retiring a player's # is reserved for the cream of the crop. Thus retiring role players' #s = lowering standards.

So, are we lowering our standards by having number 2 in the rafters?

Yes.

Notice that the Vikings didn't retire Stringer's #, but honored him in a lesser way.

[Klomp]

But actually 77 IS retired by the Vikings