Fisher, Madsen Have Surgeries

Lakers Derek Fisher and Mark Madsen underwent surgeries Tuesday afternoon, Fisher to repair a recurring stress fracture in his right foot and Madsen to mend a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Fisher, who had similar surgery before last season and did not play until mid-March, is likely to need at least four months to recover from this procedure. Dr. Philip Kwong of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic performed a bone graft and inserted a screw into the navicular bone.

Dr. Norman Zemel, also of Kerlan-Jobe, performed the surgery on Madsen, who injured his wrist in training camp and played the season with the injury. Tests at the conclusion of the season showed the ligament damage.

Madsen, who intended to play for the Lakers’ summer-league team in July and the United States’ Goodwill Games entry in August, will sit out four to five months.

Free agent Samaki Walker, a 6-foot-9 forward whose final year of a contract with the San Antonio Spurs was bought out, will visit the Lakers in the next week, agent Tony Dutt said Tuesday.

If the Lakers cannot re-sign Horace Grant at a substantial salary cut, they hope Walker, 25, would be a young, inexpensive alternative to Grant, who appears headed to Orlando.

Grant’s free agency and Madsen’s wrist surgery have made the Lakers light in the frontcourt.

Walker averaged 5.3 points in 61 games for the Spurs, who needed salary cap room to re-sign David Robinson and Derek Anderson and are shopping for a small forward. The ninth overall pick out of Louisville in the 1996 draft by Dallas, Walker played three seasons there before the Spurs signed him as a free agent during last year’s off-season. He has never had significant playing time.

The Lakers figure to contact forward Christian Laettner, as well as guard Mitch Richmond, who could be available for the $1-million minimum for 10-year veterans because Washington bought out his contract.

The Lakers released their summer-league roster Tuesday. J.R. Rider’s name is not on it, though he could be added later.

Mike Penberthy, who likely will be re-signed by the Lakers, Slava Medvedenko and Devean George are expected to participate. Other notable players include 6-foot-7 Korleone Young (Hargrave Military Academy) and guards Jerome Allen (Penn), Dante Calabria (North Carolina) and Antonio Granger (Boston College).

Practice begins Thursday and the Lakers play the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Pyramid in Long Beach.