Phil Jackson made sure that $25,000 tampering fine went to good use by finalizing a five year $25 million deal with longtime Point Guard Derek Fisher according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. It has been rumored since the Oklahoma City Thunder were eliminated from the post season, and even before that. The eighteen year veteran Point Guard is in familiar territory working side by side with former coach Phil Jackson, but now it’s under different circumstances. Fisher was Jackson’s Point Guard while Phil coached The Los Angeles Lakers. Fisher has seen almost every situation as a player from winning championships, hitting clutch shots, and seeing a few losing seasons as well.
Obviously that won’t win Fisher games as a coach, but it will certainly help him develop as a coach. Fisher is highly thought of around the league and is known as a natural leader. Jackson wanted someone that could coach the triangle offense and Fisher may be the best candidate to do so besides Phil Jackson himself. We are starting to see a pattern of players retiring and quickly becoming head coaches with the Jason Kidd hiring and for the second year in a row Derek Fisher. For The Knicks sake and Phil Jacksons’ sake lets hope Fisher has just as much success as Kidd did this year. I know Fisher will be a good coach as long as Jackson can get him the right pieces, and one of those main pieces is Carmelo Anthony.
