Foul on Derek Fisher

Posted by Jimmy Bragg on November 20, 2009

Derek Fisher
I was pretty excited when the Jazz traded for Fisher back in the summer of 2006. Since John and Karl left, it was going to be nice to finally have a veteran on the team who had experience and knew how to win. It was also great to realize that Deron Williams would finally have a legitimate and knowledgeable back-up; someone that he could look up to and model his off-the-court actions after (see Robert Whaley and the Park City incident). After suffering through Keith McLeod and Milt Palacio, it was going to be an exciting time for Jazz basketball again.

Disappointment is most likely a common reaction once players find out they have been traded, unless they wanted a trade (see Stephen Jackson) or unless it was an unbelievably dirty trade (see Pau Gasol). We know that Derek Fisher was upset after he found out that he was traded from the Warriors to the Jazz. So much so that Kevin O’Conner had to fly out to Oakland to “convince” Fisher that he should be excited about coming to Utah and playing for the Jazz.

I can understand Fisher’s concerns: he was coming to a team that already had a young and talented point guard; his minutes had been dwindling; he was getting older and maybe on the verge of finishing his career with the Jazz. All of these things coupled with the usual reasons players don’t want to come to Utah (e.g. no nightlife, small city, little to no diversity, Dell Schanze, and cold weather) probably added to his reluctance to change.

The Good

I believe that Fisher was “some to most” of the reason that the Utah Jazz started the year 12-1, went 51-31 and eventually made it to the Western Conference Finals in the 2006-07 season. That season Fisher averaged 10.1 points a game, shot 38% from the floor and only took 48 three pointers (according to the 2007-08 Utah Jazz Media Guide). Not exactly statistics that would make a scout drool, but sufficient enough for a back-up point guard…playing shooting guard.

Even though Fisher was undersized on defense and underwhelming on offense most nights, I believe he did more by showing the young Jazz players how to win. He had been put in a winning situation ever since he was drafted into the league. He wasn’t used to losing and isn’t one to sit still and watch a whole NBA season go down the toilet. He led by example, quietly instilling the confidence it takes to grind out wins and keep leads down the stretch.

The Benevolence

When Derek Fisher was released from his contract, I don’t think that there existed a Jazz fan that wasn’t proud of Larry Miller for such a bold and compassionate action. I personally was pleased with our owner for stepping back and acknowledging what is most important in life. I was happy that Fisher was able to be in a situation where he could so easily be given what was needed for his family to get the correct medical help. I wished him well with the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets and was excited to be able to watch the progress of Ronnie Brewer.

The…Huh???

However, a mere seventeen days later (that’s seventeen days in case you missed it) Derek Fisher was once again a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. I can’t speak for all Jazz fans, but to this Jazz fan, that was like a punch to the gut…and then the groin…and then the face…with a knee back to the groin again…followed by a roundhouse to the throat. He was affiliating himself with the ultimate enemy one more time. The family man we all thought had seen the light and rid himself of all Laker residue, had once again delved into the murky workings of the devil’s machine.

As a Jazz fan, I felt taken advantage of; I felt that Larry Miller’s benevolence had been taken advantage of. Those happy and pleasant feelings that I had felt were replaced by a Laker hatred not experienced yet by man. The Lakers had stolen our playoff hero right from under our noses.

When Fisher returned to the ESA as a Laker, he was met with a chorus of boos, prompting the national media to call Jazz fans classless and ungrateful. (Unbeknownst to me, it is apparently classless to boo a member of the enemy now.)

The Ejection

This all brings me to something that occurred last year in the playoffs. If we all remember, Fisher was called for an offensive foul after he threw his whole body into Luis Scola while Scola was coming up to set a pick. Scola (a power forward) was sent flying backwards, eventually landing on the floor and clutching his chest. Fisher was deservedly thrown out of the game and consequently suspended for the following game.

What happened on the court wasn’t the reason for my not liking Fisher much anymore, it was what he said to reporters after the game. He said, “My intent was to run through the pick hard. He was further away from me than I thought, so my arm was up high when I hit him.” Anyone with two eyes that work can see clearly that he wasn’t running. He had no intention of doing anything except taking Scola out of the game by inflicting injury.

That incident, to me, showed Fisher’s true colors. Again, let me say, I don’t think that Fisher made up his daughter’s illness to get out of Utah. I do, however, think that he could have stayed and played for the Jazz and continued to commute an hour on a plane to his daughter’s doctor appointments in Los Angeles (seeing as how there clearly is no need to continue traveling to New York anymore).

Sure Fisher is a “nice guy” and well-spoken off the court, but does all of that really matter when he is throwing himself into power forwards and lying about the reasons for doing so afterwards?

Hopefully I am not allowing my Laker hatred to cloud my ability to distinguish between Fisher and the devil’s team. I still think that had Fisher stayed, the Jazz could have been a team that has proven leadership. Fisher’s minutes by now would have decreased, but his experience would still be invaluable.

The Present

The Utah Jazz is now a Fisher-less team that gives up big leads and loses to teams that they have no business losing to…at home. That one-time “nice guy” now works for the dark side in Los Angeles and has once again become a champion. Sometimes, it seems like his short time here never really happened. We are now left to wonder what it would be like to have a Derek Fisher taking charges or throwing himself into forwards.

I personally think that the Jazz are another Derek Fisher-type player away from seriously contending for a championship. This year’s team has shown that even though the bulk of them have played together for three years or so, they still lack the cohesiveness and killer instinct. They panic in close games and allow teams to climb out of seemingly insurmountable leads.

Would a Derek Fisher-type player allow that to happen? Just ask Luis Scola.

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Joey Parker on November 20, 2009 said:

I also still hold a grudge against Fisher. Especially because his daughter’s condition was basically all taken care of within 6 months of him leaving here! Besides, I’m sure, some follow-up appointments. He couldn’t have made it work with the Jazz for 6 months?!

Also, part of the reason Jazz fans were so amazed by his “selflessness” was that he was “giving up” his multi-million dollar contract for his kid. Annnd…that part wasn’t true either, because the Lakers ended up paying him almost the same amount that he was previously making.

I realize that this whole thing made great sense, financially, for the Jazz, but Jimmy is right that we never have found that veteran leadership since he left.

Tyler on November 20, 2009 said:

I really don’t know what to think about the Derek fisher incident, I mean I’ve heard so many different stories, and of course if you talk to a lakers fan they claim we are all heartless jerks for booing him because they don’t think he’s done anything wrong but, there are obvious reasons for them to take his side. I do however have a problem with the way some of our fans act, there is nothing wrong with booing an opposing player but I’ve heard some pretty disturbing things yelled at him regarding his daughters illness that I frankly don’t want to be associated with and think that it does make us look classless even though we aren’t, there are just a select few morons who are and who I also think should be banned from the jazz games. But where I lost all my respect for fisher was the way he played against Deron in the playoffs last year. He took out Scola in the rockets series and he tried to take out Deron, he threw elbows every chance he got and just played really dirty a real nice way to show your appreciation to the jazz, try and take out their best player and someone you mentored, and we’re the ones with no class?

J R Stewart on November 21, 2009 said:

Fish leaving the Jazz was a “win-win” for both sides.

They got out from under an untradable salary, and saved them about $13m this year alone, but also allowed DWil and Brewer to develop. He’s much better in the triangle offense and is with his family and friends in Tinsel Town.

My big grip is his selective view of well documented events and facts. Too much spin and self righteousness.

He was a good leader for the Jazz, while he was here, and a benefit when he left.

If he didn’t want the BOOS, he should have signed with the Knicks or the Clippers. We all would have cheered him when he returned.

Jazzaholic

canadajazz on November 21, 2009 said:

Think what you like about the Derek Fisher, but he’ll always own one the great Jazz Moments for me: the playoff against Golden State, when he returned from New York in street clothes just before the end of the first half.
Fisher came in cold, hit a couple of shots and shut Baron Davis down with his defense. The Jazz never looked back in that series.
Fisher’s a bright guy, head of the Players’ Association and a hard-nosed winner. I wished he’d stayed in Utah, but it wasn’t to be.

mr.jazz on November 21, 2009 said:

amen Tyler! he was really nasty in the playoffs trying to hurt deron and all. i am happy we a re booing him. he left us to take care of his daughter which he could of just flew there every now and then or take some days off. but then wehn he left 6 months later she was all good. that made me mad.

Linda on November 21, 2009 said:

As far as I see it, the end result was all decided before he ever ask to be released. I agree with JR on the money situation but since I was a little kid I have been taught that one of the biggest sins there is would be to lie. As far as I am concerned, Fisher lied and because of that, I can’t ever respect him as a player or person. He has a ring but I hope he also has a conscious that will always remind him of what he did.

Johnathan Kendrick on November 21, 2009 said:

Remember that Fisher first asked to be traded to a list of 11 teams that had the right kind of health care. The list had bad teams like Memphis and the Clippers and good teams like the Lakers. When the Jazz agreed to let him go it benifited them greatly – and they knew the 11 teams he was going to try to sign with included the Lakers. Since he had played there before and lived there before it’s hard for me to believe the Jazz didn’t know they would be the front runners. It made the most sense for eveyone involved. That includes the Jazz who got out of a bad contract scott free. Everyone should be greatful to the other party.

J R Stewart on November 21, 2009 said:

It also needs to be remembered that Kobe admitted he spoke several times with Fish, telling him how much he and “the team” (wink, wink…management) would love to have him back.

Was that tampering??? Absolutely!

I have never seen a “list”. I googled, no luck. Any idea where it might be?

Still, it was win-win for both.

If the Mailman got boos when returned, after joining the Hated Lakers, why in the world would Fish expect any less?

Fish is a good guy and leader, but seems to suffer selective amnesia and self aggrandizement, not supported by media statements and other documented facts.

Jazzaholic

J R Stewart on November 21, 2009 said:

Memphis for medical care???

I’m a retired physician. My son-in-law went to the University of Tennessee at Memphis Medical School. They have a nice football team, but Utah has far, far superior medical care for her condition and follow up. So, that just makes absolutely no medical sense at all.

New York and New Jersey, where her primary care specialist and treatment center were located, are the only two teams which would make any sense at all. Otherwise, you’re just an hour or two away from LA or 4 hours from Houston, which probably has better medical care than LA.

Also, at his press conference, there was no mention of the Hated Lakers.

So, NO, I’m still not buying it!

But, it still was win-win.

I just would like Fish to stop playing the martyr.

Stop the whining! The Jazz were glad to release you. Get on with life and accept the boos.

Jazzaholic

Joey Parker on November 21, 2009 said:

The only clue I have that Jazz didn’t think he’d go to Lakers is that Sloan still seems mad about it. Last year he referred to Gasol and Fisher as the Lakers’ “two gifts”. As in, Ill-gotten in both cases.

Johnathan Kendrick on November 22, 2009 said:

Yep Memphis for medical care.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105

They have one of the few Retinoblastoma research and treatment centers in the country. If the Jazz had wanted they could have traded him to Memphis – the only problem is the Jazz didn’t want 7 miillion dollars back in anything Memphis was willing to give – or New York – Or New Jersey… etc. What they wanted was cap space – and they got it.

J R Stewart on November 22, 2009 said:

They did get cap space and a roster spot.

And you are right, I was considering the university medical center.

Jazzaholic

Jimbo on November 22, 2009 said:

People keep talking about Fisher’s “bad contract” and “untradeable contract,” but why was it a bad contract when he was one of the main reasons we were in the Western Conference Finals. I think that I would like another one of those bad contracts.

J R Stewart on November 22, 2009 said:

I think his contract was something like $6.3m or $6.5m escalating over 3 years. He was old and in a pure point guard system, coming off his worst year. It’s very similar to AK’s contract being a higher price than his value and his play deteriorating (except for the last few games, where he’s gotten new life).

That contract would have cost the Jazz about $14m this year, with tax in 2009-10 alone, if they still had it. That’s why they were glad to get rid of it, without picking up another bad contract.

The Jazz got rid of bad contracts and freed up roster spots when they traded for Fish from GS, then they freed up a roster spot and shed about $20+m in salary when they let Fish walk. So, it was a good deal for the Jazz too.

A bad contract is either too long or too expensive or both. (see Cap’n Jak)

When you trade a player/contract like that, you usually get some bad contracts/poor players in return.

A good contract is a young, improving player, paid below his production value.

Jazzaholic

LK Anderson on November 23, 2009 said:

I dont remember seeing a list of where Fisher would go. I dont think there was one.. He made it sound like he was going back east and then before you could close your eyes he was back in LA. Clearly a LIE . He lost a lot of credability..

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