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The veteran point guard returns tonight when the Thunder takes on the Mavs at 6:30. “Anytime you join a group or a team, even if it’s for a short while, there is some connection that takes place as far as teammates, coaches, people in the organization,” Fisher said. “I don’t know how happy they’ll be to see me, but I don’t have any problems with anyone here. I’m just looking forward to what should be a fun-packed game tonight.” Oklahoman

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

Fisher, following the Thunder’s morning shoot-around session, “I love Mark and I have a tremendous for what he’s done and does in terms of his team,” Fisher said. “I think people question his passion, but there’s no question about how passionate he is for his team. And so if it was my team…I would want as many players that I felt like could help me. I take it more as a positive thing than a negative. He saw some value that I provided and would like to still have me here. But long term, for me, I don’t have any (issues) with Mark, and hopefully one day we’ll be able to get past this and have much more things to enjoy and laugh about.” Oklahoman

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

I asked Fisher about whether there is any concern with how the Thunder’s bench was an advantage against the Spurs last year and San Antonio’s second group now appears to have the upper hand this year. “Those things average themselves out in a sense in terms of which guys are starting, which guys are coming off the bench,” he said. “I think ultimately, the better balanced team in terms of whether it’s eight, nine or 10 guys that are playing, that averages out. You don’t have to try to statistically keep up with certain guys that play certain positions or come off the bench. So for us, we don’t have to try and become different people, or try and do what James did for the team last season. We just have to be effective at who we are. And tonight we weren’t able to do that as well.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

Metta World Peace on his support for Dwight Howard this season: “Of course because you never know what somebody is going through in their life, you never know what somebody is going through physically, mentally, you never know if somebody is not ready for this pressure, you never know what anybody is going through. All you can do is support. Even as a teammate, a fan, a coach or whatever, you just have to be there by their side. I learned that from playing with Derek Fisher. I learned that just being egotistical early in my career. You gotta be there for your teammates because all you have is each other. I know that for a fact. You’re not going to win with just one person. At the end of the day, when you win, it says the Lakers champions or the Heat champions last year, it doesn’t say one name. We need everybody, even the 12th man.” Sports Radio Interviews

Los Angeles Lakers, Derek Fisher, Dwight Howard, Metta World Peace 

However, the Mavs were somewhat perturbed when Fisher signed his contract with the Thunder. The Mavs wanted to know what happened to the "I miss my family'' story Fisher told the Mavs? "If a guy says he misses his kids and his family, that’s really not much you can say,'' said Nowitkzi, who gave Fisher the benefit of the doubt. "And now it's already later in the season where he’s probably only away for a couple of months. "A man got to make a decision for himself sometimes, and that’s what he did.’’ Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Dirk Nowitzki 

Fisher, who's now on Oklahoma City's roster as its third-string point guard, played nine games for the Mavs before the team granted his wish to be waived in late December. Fisher, 38, signed with the Thunder last week, and the Mavs weren't surprised to see the five-time NBA champion resurface with a contender, prompting a roll of the eyes by Mavs players and sarcastic comments from owner Mark Cuban. "I was being open and honest at the time and I'm being open and honest now," Fisher told the Los Angeles Times. "At the time, I felt strong about the decision on a personal level. It wasn't anything about Dallas or Mark that I was not happy about. Just personally, I didn't enjoy being away from my family at the time. "Over the last couple of months, being out of the game and having a chance to reflect on some things and think about some things, when this opportunity presented itself and I thought about the totality of my career, I decided that this was something I deserved to do for myself. Sometimes as a leader, you can't make decisions based on what other people are going to think or how they're going to feel. You just do what you think is right at that time and that's what I'm doing here." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Mark Cuban 

Published reports indicated the Dallas Mavericks, including owner Mark Cuban, feel otherwise. Fisher asked for his release there about two months ago, citing undisclosed family issues and want to heal his injured knee. "I felt strongly about the decision on a personal level," Fisher said following the Thunder's 108-104 win Sunday over the Clippers at Staples Center. "It wasn't anything about Dallas, Mark or the team that I was not happy about. Just personally I didn't enjoy being away from my family at the time." Los Angeles Daily News

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Mark Cuban 

Cuban, who said there was “no side deal” regarding family issues when Fisher signed with the Mavs, sarcastically claimed he understood Fisher’s decision to resume his career with a contender. “His kids are older,” Cuban said. “It’s easier to fly in and out of Oklahoma City than Dallas. I understand that. It’s a decision a parent has to make. Every parent has difficult decisions to make.” Moments later, Cuban added: “A lot can happen in 65 days.” ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

Fisher cited the desire to spend time with his family as his reason for leaving Dallas in late December after starting nine games for the Mavs. However, the suspicion among his temporary Dallas teammates was that the five-time NBA champion would join a contender later this season. "It wasn't a big surprise," one Mavs veteran said. "We expected him to end up with the Lakers or OKC." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

Added another Dallas veteran, while rolling his eyes: "Good for him. Good for him." ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

If anything, these comments bring a bit more credence to a pre-All Star break column by Jason Whitlock, FoxSports.com’s opinionated and occasionally controversial writer, who detailed the jumbled mess that became of the NBA Players Union, ending in the firing of executive director Billy Hunter. In it, Whitlock, aided by a candid interview with former NBA player Maurice Evans, speculated that Fisher only used the Mavericks as a way to keep his position as union president. Oklahoman

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, NBPA 

The 38-year-old southpaw who won five titles in two stints playing alongside Kobe Bryant, signed a veteran’s minimum deal with the Mavs on Nov. 29 on the heels of Dallas benching Darren Collison. Fisher immediately took over as the starter until he asked for and received his release on Dec. 22 so he could spend more time with his family, as he explained in a prepared statement. Apparently with 26 games left before the start of the playoffs, family concerns are no longer an issue for Fisher, who wore No. 6 for the Mavs because, as he said, he joined them on a quest for a sixth title. “This is not a pit stop,” Fisher told his new Dallas teammates. Lo and behold, he will also wear No. 6 for the Thunder. He will make his second OKC debut in as many seasons at home Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets. So how do the jilted Mavs feel about this turn of events? Owner Mark Cuban did not reply to multiple emails on Monday, but one league source said the best way to describe the mood of the Dallas front office is “agitated.” The source said that Fisher and his representatives never contacted the Mavs during his decision-making process to discuss a possible return to Dallas, the team that, in good faith, initially signed him. NBA.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Mark Cuban 

The source said that Fisher’s departure before Christmas seemed to come out of the blue. Of course, in 2007 when Fisher played for the Utah Jazz, he did have a late-season family emergency. His 11-month-old daughter suffered from cancer in her left eye and required surgery in New York. After the playoffs, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could concentrate on finding the best care for his daughter. After saying, “life for me outweighs the game of basketball,” Fisher would soon sign a three-year deal to return to the Lakers. NBA.com

Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher, Mark Cuban 

Even when it seemed clear the Thunder wouldn't resign Derek Fisher this offseason, OKC gushed about him plenty "Derek Fisher, just being around him, I can tell why he's loved by so many people and why the Lakers won so many championships," Brooks said this summer at the Pelican Hill Golf Club. "He puts everything he has into every possession, every practice and every game. In our practices, he is 37 and he did everything we asked, every drill and every possession. He practices every day. It was great. I don't think we could've gone as far as we did without him. I thought he was terrific and I love him. I really have a lot of respect for him." Sulia

Oklahoma City Thunder, Derek Fisher 

The Oklahoma City Thunder has signed guard Derek Fisher, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We are excited to welcome Derek back to the Thunder organization," said Presti. "He contributed to our team in various ways last season, and we are looking forward to him joining us again.” NBA.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Derek Fisher 

The Oklahoma City Thunder are preparing to re-sign veteran guard Derek Fisher, according to sources familiar with the Thunder's thinking. Sources told ESPN.com that the Thunder, after trading Eric Maynor away last week before the NBA's annual trade deadline, have made plans to sign Fisher, who joined the Thunder for the stretch run in March 2012 after the Los Angeles Lakers dealt Fisher to Houston. The veteran guard will sign with the team Monday for the remainder of the season, according to multiple league sources. ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Derek Fisher 

The Oklahoma City Thunder have reached agreement to sign veteran guard Derek Fisher for the remainder of the season, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Fisher arrived in Oklahoma City Sunday night and will sign his contract on Monday. Yahoo! Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder, Free Agency, Derek Fisher 

Alex Kennedy: Another veteran option for Lakers is Derek Fisher. He's training in Vegas and L.A. He retired earlier this year, but wants to resume career. Twitter @AlexKennedyNBA

Los Angeles Lakers, Free Agency, Derek Fisher 

Alex Kennedy: Derek Fisher has been training with @Joe_Abunassar in Las Vegas. It sounds like the 38-year-old is looking to play again this season. Twitter @AlexKennedyNBA

Free Agency, Derek Fisher, Las Vegas 

Billy Hunter's 17-year run as the National Basketball Players Association's executive director came to inglorious end Saturday. The NBPA executive committee comprised of players, including President Derek Fisher, fired the embattled Hunter amid serious concerns surrounding Hunter's business practices as union leader. "Today for the National Basketball Players Association was a day of change," Fisher said. "Players representatives in the general body of our association have made their voice and their votes heard. Today, the motion was raised, seconded and passed unanimously that we will terminate the employment of Billy Hunter." USA Today Sports

Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, NBPA