Fish Makes OKC Debut

For Derek Fisher, every decision, every move made on and off the court, comes with one goal in mind: winning a sixth NBA Championship.

So when Derek was traded by the Lakers last week, and then cut loose thanks to a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets, he set out of find a new home that gave him the best chance to pursue that goal.

OKC coach Scott Brooks was pleased to add D-Fish to his squad (Getty Images).

After discussions with a few teams, D-Fish landed in Oklahoma City, where he will try to help elevate a team that went to the Western Conference Finals last season into a championship winner. Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Derek is a welcome addition to his squad

"He has winner all over his DNA," Brooks said. "You can never have enough winners in your locker room, and we have a locker room full of them. He just gives us one more winner."

Oklahoma City currently sits atop the Western Conference standings, with the NBA’s third best record. Fish has long observed what the Thunder were building from afar and jumped at the chance to help them finish the season strong and make a playoff run.

"I’m just hopeful that the things that I do, the things that I’ve always brought to every team I’ve ever played on, can be the right mix to help these guys continue to do whatever it is that they’re already doing," Derek told reporters before Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. "It’s very clear that there’s one common goal, and that’s to maximize the abilities of every player on the team and try to bring, at some point, a championship to Oklahoma City."

Watch Derek talk more about his choice to join the Thunder below:

When Derek became available earlier this week, several teams approached him about joining their squad. But D-Fish saw a special fit with the Thunder, a vision that is shared by OKC General Manager Sam Presti, who said he has long been impressed with Derek’s skillset and resume.

"He’s got great poise, he’s got a great basketball IQ, great recognition on both ends of the floor," Presti said. "He understands the league, he’s a well-regarded corner shooter and someone that we feel like can settle you down and make plays for you throughout the body of the game."

D-Fish wasted little time suiting up for his new team, donning his brand new No. 37 jersey, just hours after signing his contract, for Wednesday night’s game with the Clippers. Derek said he chose the number as a reference to his age.

"Especially this season, it seemed to be a negative thing that I was 37," he said. "So I just wanted to send a message that the Thunder organization and I see it as a positive that I’m a guy that can still help a team be successful and compete for a championship at the age of 37. I am 37, but I think I can do some great things on this team."

Derek chipped in for OKC just hours after signing his contract (Getty Images).

MORE THAN A LEADER
While the Thunder expect Derek to be a veteran voice in their young locker room, Brooks noted that they’ll need more than that from their new point man.

"He brings a lot of those things in the locker room that we need, but we still need him to play basketball," Brooks told The Oklahoman. "He’s not going to be this guy that’s going to be sitting down with our young players and saying, ‘I remember when we did this. He has to be able to get out on the court and play and be a big part of what we do."

Derek did just that on Wednesday night and Oklahoma City welcomed the veteran point guard with a standing ovation after he checked in for starter Russell Westbrook with 1:42 left in the first quarter.

With the game tied at 29-29, D-Fish gave the crowd even more the cheer about, assisting Nazr Mohammed’s jump shot and sending the Thunder into the second quarter ahead by three points.

Derek scored his first points as a member of the Thunder in the fourth, knocking down a 23-foot three pointer from the left side off a pass from James Harden. The basket increased the OKC lead to 15.

"He’s going to go out there and hit that open shot, be aggressive, cause problems on the defensive end," Thunder star Kevin Durant told The Oklahoman, of what Derek brings. "He can do a lot of different things."

Derek will be expected to contribute all over the floor in Oklahoma City (Getty Images).

With less than a minute left in the game, No. 37 found himself in a familiar position, at the free throw line, where he nailed both foul shots to secure the Thunder victory. He finished his Oklahoma City debut with five points, one assist and one rebound in 19 minutes of playing time as the Thunder outscored the Los Angeles Clippers 114-91. His teammates talked fondly after the game about the way he fit in, as quoted in The Oklahoman.

"He fit in well," Thunder center Nazr Mohammed said. "It helped that they played a lot of zone, but he’s played a long time. All the sets are the same, just different names."

"I think he’ll bring stability," reserve forward Nick Collison said. "He’s good at handling pressure, at getting into offenses … and being able to knock down open shots."

Wednesday’s win was victory number one of a union that Derek and the Thunder believe can end with their team hoisting the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy this June.

"There were specific things I was looking for, the type of players, coaches, atmosphere and everything fit here with what I wanted to be a part of," Derek said. "When you can be a part of something special you have to do it."

NEXT UP
Derek and the Thunder are back in action on Friday night as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. CST and the game can be seen on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

RELATED STORIES

• Derek Fisher brings Oklahoma City closer to an NBA title (The Oklahoman, March 21, 2012)
• Derek Fisher chooses Oklahoma City Thunder to pursue 6th NBA title (Washington Post, March 21, 2012)
• Derek Fisher is ‘moving on’ with the Thunder (Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2012)
• With title in mind, Thunder add veteran Derek Fisher (USA Today, March 21, 2012)
• Daequan Cook out 2-3 weeks with injury (The Oklahoman, March 21, 2012)