Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher had a historic 18-year career playing in the NBA, but could the nearly 42-year-old be preparing for a comeback now that his stint coaching the New York Knicks has come to an end? Fisher posted a video of himself working out on the basketball court to his Instagram account on Tuesday that included the hashtag “Imnotdoneyet”, fueling speculation that he could be contemplating coming out of retirement.
Fisher’s tenure with New York ended unceremoniously when he was let go last February. He had been hired in the summer of 2014 shortly after ending his playing career by Knicks President Phil Jackson, who coached Fisher for years with the Lakers. Unfortunately, the Knicks floundered, and Jackson was left with the uncomfortable task of dismissing his protege.
Now, with rumors of a return surfacing, Fisher took to Twitter to somewhat clarify his retirement status. While it doesn’t sound as though a return is likely, Fisher certainly didn’t come across as someone who is hoping to remain retired:
On-court workouts have been part of my regimen since I played my last game. (1/2)
— Derek Fisher (@derekfisher) August 3, 2016
If an NBA team expresses interest, I'm open to dialogue, but at the moment I have no steadfast plan to play again. (2/2)
— Derek Fisher (@derekfisher) August 3, 2016
Should Fisher return to the NBA next season he would be the oldest player in the league. He has kept himself in great shape, but given Father Time’s undefeated record, teams would have some serious doubts about whether Fisher can still be effective at his age and two seasons removed from his last NBA game.
Still, Fisher has a longstanding reputation as a positive locker room influence (although Matt Barnes may disagree), and a team in search of a steady third guard who can play limited minutes may decide that it is worth giving Fisher a look, particularly if they need a veteran voice on the squad. If he does indeed attempt a comeback, he would be making the jump from coach to player, which is very rare in professional sports.
