Fisher isn’t promising Bryant will stay in L.A.
Derek Fisher is happy to be back with the Lakers after signing a three-year deal worth $14 million Friday. But is Fisher’s signing enough to keep Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles?
The Lakers’ newest point guard, who was also their old point guard, doesn’t know.
“I hope that me returning and adding some familiarity to the situation, in terms of the triangle offense and just the feeling of camaraderie and family we established years ago, that it will help in his decision,” Fisher said. “I can’t say if it will -- I hope so.”
Fisher, who was the starting point guard on the Lakers’ last two championship teams, said his decision to rejoin the Lakers was more about being in a city where his 1-year-old daughter Tatum could get treatment for a rare form of eye cancer than anything else -- including playing with Bryant.
Fisher asked Utah to release him from his contract this month so he could move his family to a city where his daughter could receive specialized care. Utah released him, and he cleared waivers Thursday.
Fisher, who turns 33 next month, says his daughter will be treated for retinoblastoma in her left eye at the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
He said her medical “status is moving in the right direction.” She has received three rounds of treatments and has improved each time, he said.
Fisher said there was a short list of cities he considered moving to and picked from: Miami, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Memphis, Tenn., Fisher said. Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak wanted a veteran ballhandler who could run the triangle offense.
After picking Los Angeles, Fisher said, he contacted the Lakers and Clippers. Kupchak was surprised to find that out. “You were talking to the Clippers?” he asked Fisher.
“Yeah, I was talking to the Clippers,” Fisher jokingly answered. “They are in L.A. too, man.”
--
More to Read
All things Lakers, all the time.
Get all the Lakers news you need in Dan Woike's weekly newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.