The point guard affectionately known as D-Fish isn’t quite done with playing yet. His present employers—the Oklahoma City Thunder—are currently in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Fisher is expected to retire from playing at the end of this, his 18th season in the NBA. For now, his focus is on trying to nab another ring as a player, but what happens after he hangs up his uniform for good?
Adrian Wojnarowski for Yahoo! Sports recently wrote that the Lakers’ former point guard could regenerate the team's culture, as well as hold insight into getting the most out of Kobe Bryant's final two seasons:
"Once the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ends, Fisher will have a willingness to listen to coaching, front office and broadcasting possibilities. As for the Lakers' coaching job, it holds tremendous appeal to him, sources with knowledge of his thinking told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night."
And, in an article about the necessary leadership qualities for the next Lakers head coach, Kevin Ding for Bleacher Report offered this observation: “Derek Fisher is retiring as a player at season’s end and is a gifted leader who makes sense in a multitude of ways despite not having closed his Lakers playing career on the best of terms with management.”
The management reference goes back to a trade in March 2012 that saw Los Angeles swapping Fisher for Jordan Hill of the Houston Rockets. Dealing away Fisher was due in part to the acquisition of point guard Ramon Sessions from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a separate trade.
At the time, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak addressed concerns about the loss of the team's co-captain, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los An...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
