Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: GM, Ford, Home Depot among America's shrinking corporate giants

Fisher returning to Lakers, re-teams with Kobe

Guard expected to start after agreeing to 3-year contract

Warriors Jazz BasketballAP
Derek Fisher, who turns 33 next month, gives the Lakers a needed veteran ballhandling guard in the starting lineup.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Derek Fisher is coming back to Los Angeles and will rejoin Kobe Bryant in the Lakers backcourt.

They came into the NBA together in 1996, Fisher taken with the Lakers’ 24th draft pick and Bryant obtained in a draft day trade with Charlotte.

Fisher, who turns 33 on Aug. 9, cleared waivers Thursday, and the Lakers scheduled a news conference for Friday to announce his signing. The contract reportedly is a 3-year deal worth about $14 million.

He had asked the Utah Jazz to release him from his contract so he could concentrate on finding the best medical care for his 1-year-old daughter, Tatum, who has cancer in her left eye. The Jazz honored his request.

Fisher played eight years in Los Angeles, including three NBA championship seasons, before signing with Golden State as a free agent after the 2003-04 season. After two seasons with the Warriors, he was traded to Utah.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder averaged 10.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Jazz last season. He has career averages of 8.7 points, 3.3 assists and 2.2 rebounds.

He made one of the most dramatic shots in Lakers’ history with his desperate “0.4” second shot in the fifth game of the 2001 Western Conference semifinals against San Antonio.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

advertisement
  ProBasketballTalk tweets

  1. Loading the latest posts…

Source: Twitter. For more, follow @basketballtalk.

Video: NBA from NBC Sports
Lin on on 'Linsanity'
Knicks guard Jeremy Lin discusses the hype surrounding his recent rise in New York.

Slideshow
Washington Wizards v Charlotte Bobcats
  Get your cheer on
Check out some of the dancers from the NBA.

more photos

  Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman

Do you have a burning NBA question? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag.

Special feature
Image: LeBron James
Who will be MVP?
Interactive: Rank each player on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 = best player, 0 = barely worthy of consideration).

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: Blake Griffin
  NBA All-Star starters
A look at the starting lineups for the East and West teams.

more photos

Slideshow
Image: Snee, 8, son of New York Giants player Chris Snee and head coach Coughlin's grandson plays in the confetti after the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game in Indianapolis
  The Week in Sports Pictures
The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more.

more photos