Fisher is returning to Lakers

The Lakers are dipping into their past, plucking guard Derek Fisher from the temporarily unemployed line and pulling him back into their fold.

A member of the Lakers for three championship runs, Fisher has agreed in principle to a three-year contract worth about $14 million, a move that would reunite him with the team that drafted him from Arkansas Little Rock with the 24th pick in 1996.

He must first clear waivers after the Utah Jazz files paperwork to terminate his contract, a process that probably won’t be completed until next week. There is also a chance he’ll be claimed by a team willing to pay the remainder of his Utah contract -- three years and almost $21 million -- but that is considered unlikely.

The first year of Fisher’s proposed deal with the Lakers would pay him slightly more than $4 million, meaning the Lakers would have only a little more than $1 million left from their $5.3-million mid-level exception to sign another free agent. They also have the veteran’s exception of $1.3 million at their disposal.

Separately, the Lakers could re-sign center Chris Mihm without using the remainder of their mid-level exception or their veteran’s exception.

General Manager Mitch Kupchak spoke in general terms Thursday, neither confirming nor denying the possibility of Fisher returning to the Lakers.

“That position has been something that we identified as an area where we felt we needed to improve,” Kupchak said. “Not a slight to Jordan [Farmar] and our drafted rookie [Javaris Crittenton], who’s just 19 years old, but at 19 and 20 years old with limited NBA experience, we’re not going to think that they’re going to be the ones that can lead the team next year.

“Having said that, without naming players that are out there, when we have additional information and we have an announcement, we’ll make that announcement. Right now, we’re not in that position, but we’re getting close.”

Fisher would increase the Lakers’ roster to 13 players and move their payroll close to the luxury-tax threshold of $67.87 million. Teams are charged a dollar in luxury taxes for every dollar they are over the threshold. Only five teams paid the tax last season -- New York ($45.1 million), Dallas ($7.2 million), Denver ($2 million), Minnesota ($998,536) and San Antonio ($196,082).

Kupchak said last month the Lakers would try to limit next season’s roster to 14 players, one below the NBA maximum, although he said Thursday that “you have to be flexible.”

Second-round pick Marc Gasol of Spain will play in Europe next season, but Kupchak was impressed by the team’s other second-round pick, Sun Yue, who has played for Team China this week at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Undrafted Boise State guard Coby Karl has played well for the Lakers’ summer-league team in Las Vegas.

Fisher, who turns 33 next month, fills numerous needs for the Lakers, who have been seeking a veteran ballhandling guard since the Smush Parker experiment failed. Obviously familiar with the triangle offense, Fisher probably steps right into the Lakers’ starting lineup.

A franchise favorite in his first tour with the Lakers because of his activity in the community and his diplomacy in the locker room, Fisher had the ear of Coach Phil Jackson and, of equal importance these days, Kobe Bryant.

Bryant would not reveal if Fisher’s arrival would guarantee his return to the Lakers.

“I’m not getting into my situation,” Bryant said Wednesday at a Nike promotional event. “I’m just not going to go there.”

Bryant, a friend of Fisher’s in happier days with the Lakers, spoke warmly of his former backcourt mate in broader terms.

Fisher asked out of his contract with the Jazz two weeks ago to move to a city with more appropriate medical care for his 1-year-old daughter, Tatum, who has a rare form of eye cancer. Unless another team claims him off waivers, Fisher will end up taking a significant pay cut.

“It’s a very tough predicament for him to be in,” Bryant said. “Obviously, he’s got to look after his family. That’s always been his No. 1 concern. He and I are extremely, extremely close. I just want what’s best for him.”

Fisher left the Lakers three years ago after signing a six-year, $37-million free-agent contract with Golden State. He was traded to Utah before last season and started 61 games, averaging 10.1 points, 3.3 assists and 27.9 minutes, higher numbers than those during the 2003-04 season, his last with the Lakers. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 assists and 21.6 minutes that season.

Fisher is expected to be a mentor to the Lakers’ ballhandling guards, who are as young as any in the league.

Fisher was in the playoffs all eight years with the Lakers, with some memorable moments to boot. He averaged 13.4 points in the 2001 playoffs as the Lakers won the second of three consecutive titles, and he made his unforgettable “0.4” shot as time wound down in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals against San Antonio.

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Forward Luke Walton officially signed a six-year, $30-million contract Thursday to stay with the Lakers, who could not make a formal announcement until the end of the 10-day free-agent moratorium period.

Walton, 27, averaged career highs of 11.4 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists a game last season.

“This is where I wanted to be when the whole free-agency thing started,” Walton said. “I’m looking forward to helping this team, and to get back into the playoffs and eventually into the championship, and try to bring some more championships back to Los Angeles, where the trophies belong.”

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

To-do list

Three issues the Lakers need to resolve before training camp begins Oct. 2.

KOBE BRYANT

1. Will he or won’t he be back? The Lakers don’t plan on trading him, but he has yet to formally say he’ll return.

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PHIL JACKSON

2. Will the Lakers’ coach get a contract extension? It’s more up to him than the organization, and he is pondering it during his summer retreat in Montana.

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TRADES?

3. Will Kevin Garnett, right, or Jermaine O’Neal end up in a Lakers uniform? The Lakers have had talks with Minnesota and Indiana, but nothing has happened.

--MIKE BRESNAHAN

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Building depth

Derek Fisher gives the Lakers another option at point guard to play with Kobe Bryant. A look at the Lakers’ point guards and what each averaged last season (* statistics last season at Georgia Tech):

*--* PLAYER PPG REB AST Derek Fisher 10.1 1.8 3.3 Jordan Farmar 4.4 1.7 1.9 Javaris Crittenton* 14.4 3.7 5.7 Sasha Vujacic 4.3 1.5 0.9

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Source: NBA