According to a Deseret Morning News report, (former) Jazz guard Derek Fisher will rejoin the team that made him famous, the Los Angeles Lakers, as soon as he clears the waiver period.

Fisher was an integral part of the Jazz’s success last season, bringing leadership, timely shooting (at times), and depth to a young Utah team. He will lose out on some $6 million by exiting his contract with the Jazz and signing his 3-year, $14 million deal with the Lakers.

Fisher’s reason for leaving, as discussed elsewhere, was that he felt he needed to be able to spend more time with his family, including his daughter Tatum, who has retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer. Salt Lake City apparently did not have adequate care facilities for Fisher’s daughter, and he wanted to move his family to a location where proper treatment could be obtained.

The fact that Fish will be taking a significant payroll hit lends credence to his claim that the move is entirely for personal and family reasons. There have been rumors that Fisher’s agent was seeking a deal worth close to the full mid-level salary cap exception (which would have given him three years at $17.8 million) and that Fisher really just wanted to get back to L.A., but to take these rumors as true now is, to my mind, unworthy of the person Derek Fisher is. We had a great year, and I for one wish him luck and echo Jazz GM Kevin O’Connor in saying that I hope he plays well in L.A. — except for the four games the Lakers play against the Jazz.

The Jazz front office is clearly one of the very best in the league. For 21 of the last 24 years, the team has been in the playoffs and for a great majority of those 21 years they have been legit championship contenders. As a fan I say hip hip hooray for competence. It all starts at the top and therefore Larry Miller must receive his props. He believes in stability and patience and for the most part it has paid off.

…for the most part.

With the opening of the free agent period, I wonder just what they have learned from seasons yore. During the S&M era, the Jazz played it safe, making an abundance of minor moves, tinkering with the lineup until they were able to field the two teams that lost to the Bulls in both ’97 and ’98. And while these teams lost, there is little doubt in most minds that had a certain Airness not been in the way, the Jazz would have won at least one of those titles, if not both.
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The Jazz are holding a press conference right now, apparently to announce that Derek Fisher will no longer play for the Jazz. Fisher has decided to have the team release him, which will mean Fisher will lose out on the $20 million remaining on his contract. Fisher wants to take a temporary break from basketball to look after his child, whose health condition continues to be a problem.

While the Jazz would benefit from some extra cap room and a roster spot, the Jazz will miss Fisher’s leadership after his great run with the Jazz through the 2007 playoffs. Fisher is not retiring, however, once released from his contract, he will not sign with another team this season.

Update below:
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