I'm more than 650 miles away and I feel it. this morning was much like any other morning in Los Angeles but slightly different because while everyone is busy doing what they do everyday, there is a small void in their hearts. there is a hole in the middle of Lakerland and in the hearts of Laker fans worldwide because this morning ... Derek Fisher is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
I can't speak for the rest of the Lakernation because that would be presumptuous of me. I can, however, tell you why I'm gonna miss D-Fish.
Laker fans will tell you. non-Laker fans will tell you. Fish is old. Fish is slow. Fish doesn't score enough. Fish rarely posts double digit assists. the Lakers have THE WORST point guard play in the NBA. Fish and Blake were horrible. these things are well known and well documented. and many Laker fans will agree ... Fish needed to go.
but not like this.
not traded away to nothingness. Derek Fisher should have retired last year as a Laker and went out with the organization that he spent all but 2 and a half years with. but he didn't.
and here we are.
though his play on the court will not be missed (except in crunch time), it's the other things that Derek Fisher brought to the Lakers organization that have Laker fans feeling like they've lost a member of the their families. character. class. toughness. clutch. leadership. savvy. loyalty. these are some of the intangibles that Derek Fisher brought, not only to his game but in the locker room and to the organization.
remember when Derek Fisher hit that shot with .4 seconds on the clock against the Spurs? clutch.
remember when the Lakers were on the verge of collapse in the Finals against Boston and Derek Fisher drove the length of the court and got pummeled by 3 Celtics as he hit the layup and kept the Lakers in the game. toughness.
hey Luis Scola, I know you guys are teammates now but do you remember Derek Fisher? loyalty.
remember when the Lakers were falling apart earlier this season amidst trade rumors and poor bench play? Derek Fisher called a team meeting and got everyone back on the same page. leadership.
but the most interesting thing to me will be the effect on Kobe Bryant. remember when Derek Fisher played those years with the Warriors and the Jazz? now do you remember that Kobe was out of control those years? Derek Fisher came back and calmed him down and helped get him 2 more rings. that's the guy I'm gonna miss the most.
Kobe is a man looking down on everyone else in the NBA. nobody can tell him anything because they have not done what he's done. they weren't there during all 5 championship runs. they didn't have to struggle, fight and claw their way into history like he did. they weren't in the trenches when the chips were down and their backs were against the wall. sure there were people there ... but not for all of it. well ... except for Derek Fisher.
when Kobe starts getting all dictatorship in practice, in the games or in the media ... there is one dude ... and dude only, that can tell Kobe to shut his trap and that Kobe respects enough to listen to. that man was just traded away yesterday. I would venture to say that Kobe doesn't even respect Mike Brown as much as he respects Derek Fisher.
that's the guy I'm gonna miss.
in a hundred years from now when people talk about the all-time greatest Lakers in history, I hope D-Fish will be mentioned in the conversation. his greatness was much more than his stats will ever show.
good luck to you Derek Fisher!
thanks for the memories.
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