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Friday, July 20 2007 @ 09:12 AM CDT
Derek Fisher's widely anticipated move to the Los Angeles Lakers is expected to be formally announced by the NBA team on Friday after the veteran guard cleared waivers on Thursday.
In a statement, the Lakers said there would be "media availability to discuss Fisher's contract signing to join the Lakers" at the team's headquarters in El Segundo on Friday.
Fisher, a former Lakers player, asked to be released from his contract with the Utah Jazz just over two weeks ago so he could move to a city with more advanced medical care for his one-year-old daughter.
Fisher's daughter, Tatum, has a rare form of eye cancer.
A Lakers stalwart for three NBA championship runs who developed a close friendship with Kobe Bryant, Fisher is reported to be re-joining the Los Angeles franchise on a three-year contract worth $14 million.
Fisher, who turns 33 next month, was initially drafted by the Lakers from Arkansas Little Rock as the 24th pick in 1996, the same year Bryant joined the team from Charlotte.
FREE AGENT
After eight years in Los Angeles, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors on a six-year, $37 million deal as a free agent before moving to Utah for last season.
In 61 games for the Jazz, the 6-foot-1 Fisher averaged 10.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists, eclipsing his record for the Lakers in his final campaign in 2003-04.
Although in the twilight of his career, Fisher offers the Lakers more than just experience and on-court talent.
Apart from his close bond with Bryant, he is held in high esteem by Lakers head coach Phil Jackson and will be expected to act as a mentor to the younger ball-handling guards in Los Angeles.
The Lakers came under heated pressure to build a team capable of contending for the championship once their 2006-07 season ended and Bryant captured the headlines by saying on several occasions that he wanted to be traded.
The Los Angeles side have been eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the last two years and a third successive failure would leave the fans demanding an instant shake-up.
However, the return of former Lakers favorite Fisher to a franchise boasting just one top player in the shape of Bryant could pave the way for a much more successful formula in 2007-08.
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