Fisher Turns Down Heat, Staying Put with Lakers
After being tempted, wine and dined, for Derek Fisher, it was simply one thing that brought him back.
Loyalty.
After realizing he has a cast of stars as it is and five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, Fisher agreed to terms on a three year, $10.5M deal that wasn't exactly the terms he was looking for, but he also realized that he did not need to have a big contract to realize he had a good thing right where he is.
The Miami Heat wanted to bring Fisher in and make him the starting point guard around what is now dubbed "The Three Kings" in Miami: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and it was a tempting offer, as he met with Heat owner Micky Arison, and team president Pat Riley. The Super Trio left money aside in their contracts, so the Heat could give him the $5M a year money that Fisher was desiring. But after talking to Kobe Bryant about the situation, Fisher realized that money wasn't everything, and actually followed the Trio's lead by taking less money to stay with the team he has played for in 11 of his 14 seasons in the NBA.
In his website, Fisher offered the following statement:
“I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles. While this may not be the most lucrative contract I’ve been offered this offseason, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin.”
While Miami has been the talk of the town, the Lakers still are the champions, and still have their core intact as well. People have seem to forget that they are the two-time defending champions, and they have won five of the last 11 NBA Championships. With Fisher in the fold along with Steve Blake, who is expected to share minutes off the bench, it stabilizes the point guard spot.
In other Laker news, Jordan Farmar has departed the Lakers for the New Jersey Nets in a three year, $12M contract. Shannon Brown is still a free agent, and has expressed his desire to return to the Lakers.
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