Lakers Push Forward on Two Points

By TIM KAWAKAMI

Aug. 4, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Charles Oakley got the attention Tuesday, a full-court Laker press to impress the free-agent power forward.

Derek Fisher, though, got the long-term cash, agreeing to accept a seven-year deal worth about $24 million, an average of $3.5 million a season.

For a blue-collar point guard who has worked his way up the Laker roster for three seasons while watching other players rack up the salary totals, Fisher’s new deal is eye-catching in one aspect:

The Lakers are contractually committed to Fisher through the 2005-06 season, longer than they are to Coach Phil Jackson, to Executive Vice President Jerry West, to Shaquille O’Neal and even to Kobe Bryant.

“It’s a great feeling to know that you’re going to have a certain degree of job security, in a sense,” said Fisher, who was given the starting point guard role at the beginning of last season before getting yanked out of the lineup and then put back in.

“[But] I can remember when I was just 11, 12 years old, my parents always told me not to be satisfied with anything and don’t be satisfied with where I am now. I always strive to go to the next level. . . .

“More than anything, I think this basically says I have to work even harder than I worked before, to show that not only am I deserving of a long-term contract, but I’m not just going to take it and sit on my behind.”

Meanwhile, the Lakers spent a busy day with Oakley, including a chat session at the Great Western Forum with O’Neal and Bryant, who apparently spent most of the time answering Oakley’s questions about the team.

Oakley was amused when O’Neal held the Forum doors open for him upon his arrival, and was intrigued during a tour of the Staples Center and El Segundo practice sites with West and General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

The Lakers are over the salary cap and the most they can offer Oakley, whose rights were renounced by the Toronto Raptors this week, is their $2-million exception as a starting salary.

Toronto’s renouncing eliminates a possible sign-and-trade deal with the Raptors, who must either re-sign Oakley--he has rejected their $16.5-million, three-year offer--or let him go for nothing.

“It was real nice today,” Oakley’s business advisor, Billy Diamond, said Tuesday evening, before both went to dinner with West.

“Charles felt that the meetings today were extremely informative and productive.”

Diamond, who said the Lakers had not yet made an official offer, said that Oakley would probably not decide for at least a week.

Diamond confirmed that the New York Knicks, Oakley’s former team, had contacted him, but one source said that Oakley was not seriously considering rejoining them.

Oakley, 35, was scheduled to leave L.A. on Tuesday night to start a vacation, and no further visits with other teams were scheduled, Diamond said.

If the Lakers sign Oakley, coupled with their re-signing of Fisher, the team will have solidified two major off-season questions--power forward and point guard.

Amid the lineup switches, Fisher struggled early last season, never found his shooting touch, and had no double-digit assist games.

Fisher averaged a career-high 5.9 points a game last season, but only 3.9 assists, and made only 37.6% of his shots.

But, playing high-energy defense, Fisher rallied at the end of the season, and his hustle and mental approach have always been valued by Laker management.

“Derek is one of the hardest-working and most professional players we’ve ever had,” Kupchak said in a statement. “He’s improved his game every year since he’s joined us and has developed into a key member of our team.”

With the Lakers so far showing little interest in former Bull point guard B.J. Armstrong, and with any potential blockbuster move for a bigger guard to team with Bryant looking unlikely, Fisher, with $3.5 million a season in hand, almost certainly will begin the Jackson era in the starting lineup.

Fisher, who visited San Antonio and had feelers from several other teams, said a recent hourlong phone conversation with Jackson helped him decide he had no reason to leave the Lakers.

“Basically, he talked about some of the leadership skills that I possess and really feeling like I can help our basketball team in that area,” Fisher said.

“He also really focused on how good a defender I was and how I really could help our basketball team in that area. He said he noticed how my outside shooting had improved from year to year--even though as far as percentages go, I didn’t have a great year last year. . . .

“I think Phil, from reading his book, watching his teams, just from hearing several things from several people, he’s a guy where you know where you stand.

“He’s a smart coach and he understands players’ personalities and strengths and weaknesses, and he seems to know how to accentuate what a player can do best.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Point Guard Top Salaries

Top point guard salaries per season (through last season). Derek Fisher signed with Lakers for about $3 million in ‘99-2000:

DAMON STOUDAMIRE

Portland: $9,000,000

GARY PAYTON

Seattle: $8,715,000

PENNY HARDAWAY

Orlando: $8,505,000

JASON KIDD

Phoenix: $6,041,000

TIM HARDAWAY