136-528: Billy Hunter (executive director) Derek Fisher (president) David Stern (commissioner) Adam Silver (deputy commissioner) The 2011 NBA lockout was the fourth and most recent lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Team owners began the work stoppage upon expiration of the 2005 collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The 161-day lockout began on July 1, 2011, and ended on December 8, 2011. It delayed
272-402: A $ 3 million base salary (which grew by 3 percent annually beginning in 2013–14) and 4.5 percent raises. Teams with cap room : Previously had no midlevel exception. Now received a new exception that was for two years and started at $ 2.5 million (growing 3 percent annually). Non-tax paying teams : Could acquire up to the lesser of 150 percent plus $ 100,000, or 100 percent plus $ 5 million of
408-453: A 50–50 deal could be considered, Hunter maintained that the owners should never "make the same or more than the players". Miami Heat owner Micky Arison , one of the owners willing to settle with players, responded to a fan complaining about greedy owners and players on Twitter , saying that "You are barking at the wrong owner." He was fined $ 500,000 by Stern, five times larger than any previous amount against an owner for publicly commenting on
544-566: A New York hospital. The Jazz eventually defeated the Warriors 4 games to 1, but fell to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals in five games. Fisher's dramatic Game 2 entrance and performance against the Warriors was nominated for Best Moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards . On July 2, 2007, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could relocate to
680-700: A WNBA head coach, as the team defeat the Atlanta Dream 70–60. The team would finish 22–12 under Fisher's first season, making the WNBA playoffs as the third seed. Under the playoff format, the team would bypass the first round and face off against the Seattle Storm in a single-elimination game, beating the Storm 92–69 to advance the WNBA semi-finals. In the third semifinal game against the Connecticut Sun, Fisher came up with
816-699: A broadcaster in the spring of 2016. Multiple times during the NBA season, Fisher appeared as an analyst on TNT's Inside the NBA , and NBA TV . At the start of the 2016–17 NBA season , Fisher joined Spectrum SportsNet as an in-studio analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fisher had a long and successful career in the NBA, especially with the Lakers. Fisher was perhaps best known for his leadership, toughness, and clutch playmaking ability. He averaged 8.3 points per game for his career and never topped more than 13.3 points during
952-726: A career-high 28 points on 6 for 7 three-point shooting in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs . In the Finals, the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in 5 games, bolstered by Fisher's 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting from three-point range in game 5 to help clinch the Lakers' second straight title. Injuries limited Fisher to start in 35 of 70 games in the 2001–02 season , but he continued to average double-figure scoring and shot over 40 percent from three-point range for
1088-428: A deal and Stern subsequently canceled the first two weeks of regular-season games, which were originally scheduled to begin on November 1. BRI remained the main issue, but other differences included luxury tax , player contract length, and the mid-level exception . The owners proposed a $ 2 tax for every $ 1 that a team spent above the tax threshold for player salaries. The tax would rise to as high as $ 4 for every $ 1 above
1224-514: A dispute regarding the shot and after reviewing video footage of the play, the referees concluded that the ball indeed left Fisher's hands before the clock expired. The "0.4" shot counted and the Lakers won the game by a score of 74–73. The Lakers closed out the Spurs in Game 6. They proceeded to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves to clinch the Western Conference championship, but were upset in
1360-460: A federal mediator, George Cohen —the director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service . Cohen tried unsuccessfully to resolve the 2011 NFL lockout . At the conclusion of the meetings, the sides remained split on the revenue split and the structure of the salary cap. The league proposed a 50–50 split of BRI, and the players proposed a range that would allow them as low as 50% of BRI to
1496-545: A head coach after the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 95–90. The Knicks ended the season with a 17–65 record, the worst in franchise history. Bolstered by first-round draft pick Kristaps Porziņģis , New York began 2015–16 as playoff contenders with a 22–22 record. However, Fisher was fired on February 8, 2016, after the Knicks lost nine of their next 10 and fell to a 23–31 record. Over one-and-a-half seasons with
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#17328698478071632-479: A labor stoppage. Both the owners and the union had planned to meet on September 30 in New York and pledged to continue through the weekends if progress was being made. A source close to the situation leaked to ESPN that Stern planned to threaten the cancellation of the season if no deal was made, but the union saw this as a scare tactic and not a serious threat. Commentators speculated that Stern wanted to put pressure on
1768-457: A major in communications. Fisher concluded his collegiate career at Arkansas-Little Rock second on the school's all-time lists in points (1,393), assists (472), and steals (189). He averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists over 112 games and led the team in assists and steals every year. Fisher also set a school record for free throws made in a career (399) and ranked third among all-time UALR leaders in three-point field goals made (125). As
1904-423: A maximum of 53%, depending on the league's revenues. Gilbert told the players to trust that the salary cap issues could be resolved if they accepted the 50–50 proposal. Hunter responded, "I can't trust your gut. I got to trust my own gut." Silver and San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt told reporters that the players refused to negotiate after the 50–50 proposal. Fisher told the press "that you guys were lied to" by
2040-460: A mid-level exception of $ 5 million. Hunter characterized the small-market owners as being inflexible in negotiation. However, The New York Times wrote that the views of individual owners "cannot be easily categorized by market size, revenue, personal wealth or championship aspirations". Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban , whose team was in the fifth-largest market and had one of the highest payrolls, and Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen ,
2176-404: A new CBA began. The league claimed that it was losing $ 300 million a year (22 out of 30 teams were losing money last season) and proposed to reduce 40% of players' salary (about $ 800 million) and institute a hard salary cap (at $ 45 million per team) as opposed to a soft cap (at $ 58 million) currently in use. The union disputed those figures and steadfastly opposed those changes. Hunter said that he
2312-644: A new level". A tournament of NBA-only players was held in September in Las Vegas , Nevada , featuring eight teams with seven to eight players each. Named the Impact Basketball Competitive Training Series, the league was dubbed by The New York Times as the "Lockout League". Training camp was not expected to be long if there ended up being a season. Some players organized workouts for their teams to build team chemistry. The NBPA announced it
2448-404: A point guard and desperately needed Fisher. Given a police escort, Fisher arrived at the arena, suited up, and was given a standing ovation as he walked onto the floor. Not even given a chance to sit down, Fisher was put in the game in the middle of the third quarter. Late in the fourth, Fisher made a key defensive stop on Baron Davis that helped send the game into overtime. In the closing minutes,
2584-476: A regular season. However, he did shoot at least 40% from the three-point line four times and 90% from the free-throw line three times in the regular season throughout his career. At the time of his retirement as a player after the 2013–14 season, Fisher held NBA career playoff records for games played (259) and games won (161), both broken by LeBron James in 2020. Fisher also held the record for career playoff series won (40), surpassed by James in 2023. Fisher
2720-466: A resolution on key issues like salary cap and BRI splits. Both Stern and Hunter said that the two sides remained far apart. The owners demanded a larger share, claiming that they were losing money. The players, on the other hand, were willing to make concessions, but they refused to completely cave in to owners' demands. Negotiations broke off, and the CBA expired at midnight. The lockout was officially started by
2856-443: A result, national federations that wish to have NBA players on their squads must now provide full coverage instead of supplemental insurance. These costs are surprisingly high—one agent who represents an unnamed NBA player set to earn $ 10 million in the 2010–11 season said the player had received a $ 400,000 quote to insure his contract for his national team's FIBA qualifier. The Spanish Basketball Federation said that insuring all
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#17328698478072992-661: A select committee of NBA players unanimously ousted Hunter from his position on February 16, 2013, during the NBA All-Star break . In May 2013, Hunter sued the NBPA, Fisher and Jamie Wior—Fisher's publicist and business partner—seeking compensation and punitive damages. The suit claimed that Fisher had a secret deal with NBA owners during the 2011 NBA lockout . In January 2014, a judge dismissed all of Hunter's claims against Wior and Fisher, and Hunter dropped his subsequent appeal in May. However,
3128-539: A senior, he earned Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. In 2005, Fisher pledged $ 700,000 to UALR towards the construction of its Jack Stephens Center auxiliary gym, since named in his honor, and the establishment of the Fisher Fellows Life Skills program, a mentoring series for UALR student-athletes. Fisher was selected 24th overall in
3264-418: A sense of urgency. No specifics were disclosed although both sides hoped to meet again soon. "Everyone loses if we don't reach an agreement, that's something that I think has always been understood," said union president Derek Fisher . "I will say we are not apart in terms of an agreed urgency on getting a deal done," said NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver . The union and owners met again on September 13 but
3400-505: A sixth championship, as his usual No. 2—last worn in Dallas by Jason Kidd —was unavailable. Fisher started in his first game with the Mavericks and Collison came off the bench in a 92–77 win over Detroit. On December 20, Fisher injured the patellar tendon of his right knee, requiring an estimated two-week recovery time. Two days later, the Mavericks granted his request to be released. He said
3536-488: A solid season, shooting 40% from the three-point range and 88% from the free-throw line, the highest percentage of his career. He made a controversial defensive play in Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference finals, when late in the game Fisher jumped into Brent Barry 's path without a foul called, causing Barry to miss a potential game-winning shot. The Lakers eventually ousted the Spurs 4–1, but lost
3672-469: A strategy that SB Nation called bizarre, benching his three starting stars, Candace Parker , Nneka Ogwumike , and Chelsea Gray , for the fourth quarter, after which the Sparks were eliminated. In his second season with the Sparks, Fisher led the team to a 15–7 record in 22 games in a shortened WNBA season, making the WNBA playoffs as the third seed. The team would bypass the first round and face off against
3808-403: A team and city that would have the "right combination" of specialists that could help fight his daughter's retinoblastoma. The Jazz honored his request. After much speculation, on July 19, 2007, Fisher officially rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers by signing a three-year contract worth roughly $ 14 million. He had given up roughly $ 8 million over three years, as he was due about $ 22 million over
3944-523: Is practically nonexistent" in the NBA. ESPN concluded that a team's draft efficiency accounted for 34% of its winning percentage in the past decade, while payroll showed only a 7% correlation. The New York Times noted that a fairer system was needed for the small-market teams, but the league's popularity historically relied on predictably successful teams with multiple superstars. NBPA leaders met with around 30 players on October 14 and stressed unity. Washington Wizards player JaVale McGee left
4080-417: Is still a hard cap because the ceiling would kick in eventually. On salary reduction, players offered to cut $ 500 million over the next five years (their share of BRI would be reduced from 57 to 54.3 percent). The owners instead proposed to cut $ 2 billion over the next 10 years. As a last-ditch effort to avert a lockout, owners and players met again on June 30, 2011, to negotiate, but both sides failed to reach
4216-517: The 1996 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers , and spent his first eight seasons with them. The Lakers also traded for rookie Kobe Bryant in this draft and the two rookies became great friends. Bryant went on to say that Fisher was his favorite teammate he ever played with. Fisher made his NBA debut in an early-season game against the Phoenix Suns , tallying 12 points and five assists. Over
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4352-469: The 2004 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs . The series was tied at 2 games apiece, and Game 5 was a closely contested affair. With 11 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant hit a jump shot to put the Lakers up 72–71. Tim Duncan then made a fadeaway 18-footer over Shaquille O'Neal to give the Spurs a 73–72 lead with 0.4 seconds on the clock. To devise strategies, three consecutive time-outs were called:
4488-544: The 2012–13 Dallas Mavericks he played only nine games before being injured and asking to be released from his contract. He later rejoined the Oklahoma City Thunder for another late-season push. He re-signed with them in the off-season and played in a team-high 81 regular-season games for the team in 2013–14 . The following season, he was hired as the head coach of the New York Knicks by Jackson, who had become
4624-502: The 60 rookies drafted in 2011 and to players who signed at least two 10-day contracts. The re-formation enabled further negotiations with the league on secondary issues such as the age limit for the NBA draft and rules on players being sent to and recalled from the NBA D-League . The players and owners concluded their voting on the deal on December 8, when the deal was ratified, and the lockout ended after 161 days. The owners approved
4760-503: The Connecticut Sun in a single-elimination game, but the Sparks would be eliminated, losing 73–59. On December 22, 2020, the Sparks appointed Fisher to be the general manager. in the 2021 WNBA draft he selected No. 7 pick: Jasmine Walker (F, Alabama) No. 10 pick: Stephanie Watts (G, North Carolina) No. 22 pick: Arella Guirantes (G, Rutgers) No. 28 pick: Ivana Raca (F, Wake Forest) No. 34 pick: Aina Ayuso (G, Spain) On June 7, 2022,
4896-575: The Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA since July 1, 2008. Several days before the Western Conference semifinals between the Jazz and the Golden State Warriors began, Fisher stated that one of his four children was ill, avoiding going into further detail other than to say he needed to be with his family and his playing status was uncertain. Fisher had asked head coach Jerry Sloan to leave him on
5032-615: The Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 2019 to 2022. Derek Lamar Fisher was born on August 9, 1974, in Little Rock, Arkansas . He attended Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock off John Barrow Road, where he was a letterman in basketball. He went on to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) for four years, with
5168-614: The NBA Finals by the Detroit Pistons . On July 15, 2004, Fisher signed a six-year, $ 37 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. Fisher's two-season term with Golden State proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. While he was a reliable spot-up shooter, Fisher saw limited openings without a star player such as Bryant or O'Neal to command a double-team. The team as a whole continued to struggle mightily and languished near
5304-528: The NBA Finals to Boston . Throughout the 2009 NBA playoffs , Fisher faced criticism about his age and lackluster defensive performances against younger, quicker opposing point guards. However, Fisher helped the Lakers win Game 4 over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals , hitting a three-pointer over Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, and a tie-breaking three-pointer with 31.3 seconds remaining in overtime to help send
5440-451: The San Antonio Spurs in the second round in 4 games. Phil Jackson became the Lakers' head coach prior to the 1999–2000 season , and with him brought veteran point guard Ron Harper , who had started for three of Jackson's Chicago Bulls championship teams. Jackson historically preferred big guards. Being both smaller and playing more like a traditional point guard, and not being much of a shooter, Fisher worked hard on his shooting during
5576-610: The Syracuse Orange . While a student-athlete at Syracuse University , "he helped organize the school's boycott of Southern schools whose stadiums were segregated." In the NFL, he had one career reception which went for a touchdown . He caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Dick Shiner in the fourth quarter of a game on October 10, 1965 at District of Columbia Stadium . Following his football career, Hunter attended law school at UC Berkeley School of Law and became an attorney. One of
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5712-587: The Western Conference finals. Due to his daughter's health, he asked to be released from his contract in 2007. He rejoined the Lakers and won two more NBA titles with Bryant and Jackson. In 2012, he was traded to the Houston Rockets , where he bought out his contract and was waived at his request. He then joined the Oklahoma City Thunder for the remainder of the season, playing for the 2012 NBA championship in his eighth Finals appearance. After signing with
5848-450: The previous lockout , which shortened the 1998–99 season from 82 to 50 games, a six-year deal between the owners, led by commissioner David Stern , and the players, led by director Billy Hunter and president Patrick Ewing of the labor union National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), was reached. As the CBA was set to expire on June 30, 2005, the two sides began to negotiate in early 2005. There were several issues obstructing
5984-484: The sports agents — Arn Tellem , Bill Duffy , Mark Bartelstein , Jeff Schwartz , and Dan Fegan —who represent one-third of NBA players spoke with each other about decertifying the union. They believed owners have most of the leverage in negotiation and viewed decertification as a way for players to take control. Hunter said however that players had not considered decertification at this point. On September 15, Fisher sent an email to 400-plus players asking for unity. In
6120-457: The 23rd-wealthiest person in America, were as interested as small-market owners in changing the economy of the NBA in an effort to increase competition. While owners of profitable teams like Buss and Dolan were willing to accept modest changes to the CBA, they remained united with the small-market teams based on concerns for the league's long-term health. Despite the earlier cancellation announcement,
6256-496: The 30 teams. As the lockout dragged on toward the holiday season , many NBA arenas workers felt the effect. Many of them worked part-time in order to supplement their income or to simply pay bills and they were unable to recover lost wages that resulted from cancelled games. The players union encouraged players to find work overseas, hoping owners would offer better deals if they saw players having more options. Josh Childress , who played for Greek team Olympiacos before returning to
6392-578: The Celtics 83–79, and Fisher went on to win his fifth NBA championship. After his fifth championship win, Fisher became a free agent, fielding offers from several teams, including the Miami Heat . However, on July 12, 2010, he agreed to a three-year, $ 10.5 million deal with a player option in the third year to continue with the Lakers. Though their contract offer was not the most lucrative, Fisher considered it "the most valuable" option. On March 15, 2012, Fisher
6528-491: The Golden State Warriors. He appeared in all 82 games of the 2006–07 season, averaging 10.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.01 steals while scoring in double figures 40 times in the 2006–07 season. In November 2006, Fisher was voted President of the National Basketball Players Association , succeeding Antonio Davis . Fisher had previously served as vice president. He has also been the color commentator for
6664-407: The Jazz held a three-point lead when Deron Williams found an open Fisher for a three-pointer that sealed the victory. After the game, a tearful Fisher was interviewed, where he revealed the situation involving his then-11-month-old daughter, Tatum. She had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma , a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer, which required an emergency three-hour surgery and chemotherapy at
6800-470: The Knicks to run the triangle offense , which he learned while with the Lakers under Jackson. During the offseason, he helped the Knicks re-recruit and re-sign free agent Carmelo Anthony , whom Fisher believed could adapt to the new offense. On October 29, Fisher made his coaching debut where the team lost their 2014–15 season opener to the Chicago Bulls 104–80. On October 30, Fisher won his first game as
6936-412: The Knicks, he compiled an overall record of 40–96 (.294). On December 5, 2018, Fisher was named the head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA . The team got its first win of the 2019 season on June 1, 2019, defeating the Connecticut Sun 77–70, giving Fisher his first win as a WNBA head coach. On September 4, 2019, Fisher became the ninth WNBA head coach to achieve 20 wins as a first year as
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#17328698478077072-546: The Lakers to a 3–1 series lead and soon after, the franchise's 15th NBA title. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times described these shots by stating, "After his two jaw-flooring three-pointers led the Lakers to a 99–91 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, you'll now officially be seeing him forever." Fisher's 11.0 points per game, 50% shooting average, and 44% three-point percentage over
7208-457: The Lakers were not winning as frequently as the previous season, which led to teammates Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal rekindling their feud over the team's offense. Assistant coach Bill Bertka , however, believed a key factor in the team's struggles was the team's defense without Fisher. Fisher returned on March 13, 2001, upgrading the Lakers' defense, and he started the final 20 games of the season, averaging 11.5 points per game. Harper had been
7344-515: The NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher played a pivotal role down the stretch to help the Lakers take a 2–1 series lead. In the 4th quarter, he scored 11 of his 16 points, including a 3-point-play lay-up that helped the Lakers wrap up a 91–84 road victory. In Game 7 , the Lakers came all the way back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit when Fisher hit a critical 3-pointer to tie the game with 6:11 remaining. The Lakers ultimately defeated
7480-451: The NBA canceled the remainder of the preseason. Stern said the league would lose $ 200 million by canceling the preseason, and warned that the first two weeks of the season would be in jeopardy if no deal was reached by October 10. The players proposed that they receive 53% of BRI, while the owners countered with 47%. The two sides then discussed a 50–50 split of BRI, with the owners offering the players 49% of BRI with incentives that would raise
7616-456: The NBA in 2010, said he would not consider playing overseas during the lockout. He cited concerns with reliability of getting paid, differences in coaching styles, and lower standards of business travel compared to the NBA. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced on July 29 that it would allow players under NBA contracts to play overseas, provided that the contracts they signed had opt-out clauses that allowed players to return once
7752-518: The NBA in a Minnesota federal court. November 15 was also the day players were to receive their first paychecks if the season was played. On November 21, the California lawsuit was dropped in order to merge with the Minnesota lawsuit. Boies hoped that the move would speed up the process, since the courts would likely merge the suits as they were similar complaints seeking the same outcome. On November 23,
7888-537: The NBA players on its national team for EuroBasket 2011 , which doubles as the European Olympic qualifiers, could cost as much as $ 5.67 million. Basketball Australia announced that Andrew Bogut would not be available for the 2011 FIBA Oceania Championship ; his agent indicated that the final deal-breaker was when insurers stated that they would not insure his remaining $ 39 million in NBA salary unless pre-existing elbow, wrist, and back injuries were excluded from
8024-591: The Sparks and Fisher parted ways as head coach and general manager after the Sparks started the year off 5–7 after bringing in Liz Cambage . Fisher went 54–46 as head coach during his Sparks tenure. He was 1–4 in the playoffs. On August 7, 2023, Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California announced that Fisher would be their new head basketball coach. Fisher made guest appearances on television broadcasts throughout his career, and he began working professionally as
8160-524: The Spurs in the Western Conference finals and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals , Fisher's eighth career appearance there. The Thunder would go on to lose the series in 5 games to the Miami Heat. On November 29, 2012, Fisher signed with the Dallas Mavericks . The team was in need of a point guard after a finger injury sidelined struggling starter Darren Collison . He wore No. 6, signifying his quest for
8296-482: The Western Conference finals before losing to the Utah Jazz in 4 games. In the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season , Fisher played in all 50 games and started in 21, mostly serving as a backup for veteran Derek Harper . Fisher would once again start in all of the Lakers' playoff games, posting averages of 9.8 points and 4.9 assists per game as the Lakers advanced past the Houston Rockets in the first round before falling to
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#17328698478078432-431: The Year in 1996. Selected by the Lakers with the 24th pick in the 1996 NBA draft , he spent his first eight seasons with the franchise, winning three consecutive league championships (2000–2002) with teammates Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson . After the 2003–04 NBA season , he signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors , later being traded to the Utah Jazz , whom he helped lead to
8568-488: The active list for Game 2, but could not guarantee he would make it in time to play. But with permission from their doctors, he and his family flew from New York after his daughter's surgery and landed in Salt Lake City with the game in progress. When they landed, Fisher found out starting point guard Deron Williams was in foul trouble and his backup Dee Brown had been injured. The Jazz had been using Andrei Kirilenko as
8704-609: The author of the book with Gary Brozek contributing. On February 3, 2010, Fisher made the 1,000th 3-pointer of his career against the Charlotte Bobcats . On February 10, 2010, Fisher played his 1,000th career game against his former team, the Utah Jazz , beating Kobe Bryant to the milestone by one game. On February 23, 2010, Fisher made the 9,000th point of his NBA career against the Memphis Grizzlies . On June 8, 2010, in Game 3 of
8840-509: The bottom of the Western Conference standings. Speedy Claxton started more games than Fisher in the 2004–05 season , and then newly acquired point guard Baron Davis was a starter the following season. Despite this, in 2005–06 season , Fisher averaged 13.3 points a game, the highest season scoring average of his career. Fisher was acquired by the Utah Jazz on July 12, 2006, in a trade that sent Keith McLeod , Andre Owens , and Devin Brown to
8976-439: The comments "ridiculous" and defended Stern's record of promoting black people and players. ESPN The Magazine said that the NBPA did not condone Kessler's statements, and they had intentionally avoided getting involved with Gumbel's earlier remarks. Kessler later apologized for his comments. The revised season schedule with 16 fewer regular-season games and a reduced pre-season caused an estimated loss of $ 400 million for both
9112-585: The course of his rookie season, Fisher appeared in 80 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 rebounds. He was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists. In the 1997–98 season , Fisher started 36 of 82 games, backing up Nick Van Exel . He started all 13 games in the playoffs and averaged 6 points per game as the Lakers advanced to
9248-410: The course of the Finals were an improvement over his regular-season numbers and a departure from his post-season struggles to that point. He had shot 23.5% from behind the three-point line and 35.6% from the field in the three prior playoff series. This was Fisher's fourth NBA championship. On September 8, 2009, Fisher released a book, Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball . He is credited as
9384-481: The deal by a 25–5 vote, while 86% of the more than 200 players who voted approved the deal. The Miami Heat's Micky Arison and the Dallas Mavericks' Mark Cuban were the two owners who publicly disclosed that they voted against the new CBA. The players would receive 51.2% of BRI in 2011–12, with a 49-to-51 band in subsequent years. Teams were allowed a one-time amnesty exemption to waive one player and remove him from
9520-456: The deal, eight owners signed a petition requesting Stern address the disparity between small-market and large-market teams. They wrote that "the hard truth is that our current economic system works only for larger-market teams and a few teams that have extraordinary success ...The rest of us are looking at significant and unacceptable annual financial losses." Derek Fisher succeeded Ewing as NBPA president in 2006. In early 2011, negotiations on
9656-401: The email, he said that recent meetings were "effective". He suggested that the failure of having a deal was not due to disagreement between players and owners, but due to disagreement among owners. Fisher also used the opportunity to counter agents' suggestion of disbanding the union, saying that they were not making "a drastic move that leaves players without a union". According to sources, there
9792-440: The entire season. Chinese nationals were exempt from this rule; this allowed Yi Jianlian to return to the NBA upon the end of the lockout. More than 90 players decided to sign with foreign teams during the lockout. The New York Times called the migration of players overseas "one of the most overblown stories of the lockout" with a majority of those signing being "rookies, middling veterans and fringe players". Deron Williams
9928-445: The first by the Lakers, the second by San Antonio to set up the defense, and the last by the Lakers to re-set up the offense. When the game resumed, Gary Payton inbounded the ball to Fisher, who managed to catch, turn, and shoot the game-winning basket all in 0.4 seconds. Fisher sprinted off the court, as he later admitted he was uncertain he beat the buzzer and wanted to exit before the play could be reviewed. The Spurs immediately filed
10064-455: The group in favor of it. Stern denied that there was a rift among owners the following day, saying, "I don't know what the basis of Derek's belief is." On September 23, 2011, the NBA canceled training camp, which was to begin October 3, and the first week of preseason games, which were to run October 9 through 15. The incident marked only the second time in league history that games had been lost to
10200-417: The issue. Fisher and Stern denied a private meeting took place. In a letter to the players, Fisher called the reports "absurd" and demanded "a retraction for the libelous and defamatory stories" through his attorneys. Hunter said his "relationship with Derek [was] very good. There was no confrontation". Fisher, as union president, was not empowered to make unilateral decisions for the union. While Fisher believed
10336-439: The judge also ruled that it was the union's prerogative to fire Hunter, but allowed Hunter's claim that he was still owed $ 10.5 million to continue. Pound sign (#) denotes interim executive director. Derek Fisher Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9, 1974) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. Fisher played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 18 seasons, spending
10472-456: The labor situation. Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis and Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan had been previously fined $ 100,000 each for public comments on the lockout. Leonsis had commented about the owners' desire for a hard salary cap, while Jordan told an Australian newspaper that the league's business model was "broken", citing the owners' desire for revenue sharing. A group of 10 to 14 hardline owners, led by Jordan, wanted to cap
10608-401: The league and the players agreed to resume negotiating on November 25. On November 26, after 15 hours of talks, a tentative deal was reached. The NBPA re-formed as a union on December 1, receiving support from over 300 players, exceeding the requirement for at least 260 signatures. Signature cards were sent to the roughly 440 players on rosters at the end of the previous season, as well as to
10744-399: The league's proposal was really 50.2% and called the possibility of reaching 51% an "illusion". The league also proposed restrictions for teams that pay the luxury tax, banning them from sign and trade deals and limiting their use of the mid-level exception. They also proposed a "repeater tax" for teams that exceed the tax threshold thrice in a five-year span. Stern issued an ultimatum, giving
10880-418: The league. On November 26, both sides reached a tentative agreement to end the lockout. The new CBA calls for a revenue split of 49-to-51.2% and a flexible salary cap structure with harsher luxury tax. After the tentative deal was reached, owners allowed players to have voluntary workouts at team sites starting December 1. After the deal was ratified on December 8, training camps , trades, and free agency began
11016-567: The limit for teams that were repeat offenders. The previous CBA in comparison called for a $ 1 tax for every $ 1 over the limit. The players refused to accept a hard salary cap, which they felt the more punitive luxury taxes would effectively create. Stern said the owners felt a harsher luxury tax would make the league more competitive. Wade countered that a small-market team like the San Antonio Spurs had won multiple championships . Andrew Zimbalist , an economist at Smith College , said that "the statistical correlation between payroll and win percentage
11152-467: The lockout. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), in its inaugural college football season , drew 40,000 fans to its games in September. The San Antonio Business Journal speculated on UTSA's opportunities to grow its fan base with the canceled NBA games in San Antonio. Boston Herald speculated that NCAA college basketball would have higher television ratings and attendance during
11288-416: The lockout. However, Sporting News noted that "there was no obvious boost in popularity in the college game" during the previous lockout when college basketball attendance increased by an average of 21 people per game. Billy Hunter (American football) George William Hunter (born November 5, 1942) is an American former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA),
11424-557: The majority of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers , with whom he won five NBA championships . He also played for the Golden State Warriors , Utah Jazz , Oklahoma City Thunder , and Dallas Mavericks . He has also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). Fisher played college basketball for the Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans , earning the Sun Belt Conference Player of
11560-445: The meeting early and told reporters there were some players "saying that they're ready to fold", but the majority was united. McGee later denied mentioning that players were ready to fold, but his comment was recorded by reporters. Fisher said McGee had "no ability to make that statement" based on the limited time he spent at the meeting. Owners and players met again on October 18–20 for 30 hours of talks over three days. They met before
11696-514: The minimum wage of $ 2,000 per month with ASVEL Basket , the French team he partly owned. Parker joined several foreign players , such as Leandro Barbosa , Boris Diaw , Rudy Fernández , Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur , who opted to play in their home countries until the lockout ended. An NBA player playing in Europe could earn as little as $ 50,000–$ 75,000 per month, while the average NBA annual salary
11832-823: The more organized exhibition tournaments such as the Drew League in Los Angeles , the Melo League located in Baltimore , and the Goodman League in Washington, D.C. An exhibition game between two of the leagues was played on August 20, 2011, with the Goodman League defeating the Drew League, 135–134. Drew commissioner Dino Smiley said such pro–am games during the NBA off-season were not new, but that "the lockout has taken these games to
11968-533: The move was driven by the injury and a desire to be close to his family. In nine games with Dallas, the team went 5–4, and he averaged 8.6 points and 3.6 assists in just over 25 minutes per game. On February 25, 2013, Fisher re-signed with Oklahoma City for the remainder of the 2012–13 season . He filled the Thunder's opening for a third point guard after Eric Maynor had been traded. After being away from basketball, Fisher reflected on his career and decided to pursue
12104-455: The negotiation soon collapsed. The salary cap structure remained the main source of disagreement. Owners wanted to create a hard cap for team payroll. The union wanted to keep the current structure intact, referring to it as a "blood issue". Players were willing to cut salary only if owners agree to compromise on the salary cap. But owners were unwilling to concede, saying that there must be a system in place that allows all teams to compete. Five of
12240-472: The new agreement, which included adding an age limit for rookies , toughening the existing drug-testing program and limiting the length of long-term contracts. However, negotiations went smoothly and the two sides were able to reach a deal in June 2005, avoiding the lockout. That deal guaranteed players 57 percent of basketball-related income (BRI) and lasted for six years, until June 30, 2011. A year after signing
12376-474: The next day. During the lockout, some players signed contracts to play in other countries, mostly in Europe and Asia, with most of them having the option to return upon the lockout's conclusion. The lockout also affected the economy outside the league due largely to cities that had teams in the league losing revenue generated by games as well as television networks that broadcast the league losing ratings and advertisement revenue due to games not being played. After
12512-443: The next three years in his prior contract with the Jazz. Jazz owner Larry Miller noted that "[i]t did look funny" that Fisher signed with the Lakers, but he did not believe Fisher or Lakers owner Jerry Buss would do anything underhanded. Jazz fans have taunted him, suspecting that he simply wanted to return to the Lakers. When the 2007–08 season began, Fisher resumed his role as the Lakers' starting point guard . He contributed
12648-470: The offseason to increase his value to the new coach. He started in 22 of 78 games for the season, backing up both Harper and Kobe Bryant when injured. The Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the Indiana Pacers in 6 games to win the 2000 NBA championship, Fisher's first. Due to a stress fracture in his right foot, Fisher missed the first 62 games of the 2000–01 season . During his absence,
12784-399: The opportunity with the Thunder. He did not contact Dallas before signing with the championship contenders, which upset Mavericks officials. Fisher chose to wear No. 6 with Oklahoma City after wearing No. 37 the previous season. On July 24, 2013, Fisher re-signed with the Thunder for the 2013–14 season . He played in 81 regular-season games and all 19 playoff games, and was able to help
12920-414: The option of decertification, which allows players to file an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA. With time winding down, negotiations continued in May and June. On the salary cap, the owners, in their newest proposal, call for a system called the "flex cap" that limits payroll at $ 62 million but penalizes teams if the teams payroll exceeds the league's average payroll of that season. The union argued that it
13056-476: The owners on July 1, 2011, during which teams could not trade , sign, or contact players, and players could not access NBA team facilities, trainers, or staffs. Negotiations resumed at an August 1 bargaining session, but it fell apart after three hours. On August 2, 2011, the NBA filed two unfair labor practice claims against the NBPA, one at the NLRB and another at a federal district court in New York. The league accused
13192-409: The owners. Hunter said the owners told them, "Take it or leave it." Cohen decided that there was "no useful purpose" to continue mediation. Tentative agreements were reached on smaller issues, allowing a one-time exemption for teams to waive players without counting against the salary cap, granting teams an annual exemption to waive players and prorate the impact to the salary cap over multiple years, and
13328-458: The players and join Keesler, who also represented the players in the NFL lockout. On November 15, one group of NBA players (including Carmelo Anthony , Chauncey Billups , Kawhi Leonard , and Leon Powe ) filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NBA in a California federal court, while another (including Anthony Tolliver , Ben Gordon , Caron Butler and Derrick Williams ) filed their own suit against
13464-401: The players and prevent negotiation from dragging through the fall. The meeting on September 30 was tense as Dwyane Wade reportedly yelled at Stern after he pointed his finger at Wade. The players nearly stormed out, but they remained in the meeting only after Hunter asked them to. Stern also backed down from his earlier threat that he would cancel the season if there was no deal. On October 4,
13600-476: The players and the league hoped that a full 82-game schedule could be salvaged if a deal was reached in time. On October 28, Stern announced the cancellation of all games through November 30 after negotiations regarding division of revenue ended without an agreement. He said that Hunter was unwilling "to go a penny below 52%" on BRI, while Hunter stated, "We made a lot of concessions, but unfortunately at this time it's not enough." Stern indicated that an 82-game season
13736-437: The players countered with 53% of BRI. Owners wanted to implement a hard salary cap and a harsher luxury tax, hoping to increase competition among teams, whereas players wanted to keep the current soft salary cap structure intact. As both sides failed to reach an agreement, the NBA canceled the preseason and all games through December. On November 14, the players dissolved the union, allowing them to file antitrust lawsuits against
13872-426: The players of being uncooperative in negotiations by threatening to dissolve their union and file antitrust lawsuits. Hunter, in a statement released by the union, called the lawsuits "without merit" and that the union would seek to dismiss it in court. On August 4, Hunter said that he thought the entire 2011–12 season would likely be canceled. The NBPA and the owners returned to negotiate again on August 31 with
14008-434: The players until November 9 to accept the deal before it was lowered to 47% BRI and a flex salary cap. On November 15, the NBA canceled all games through December 15. The union rejected the offer on November 9 and asked for another bargaining session. The two sides met again as the deadline passed. After two days of negotiation, the owners put forth a revised final offer and said that they were done bargaining. If accepted by
14144-485: The players' share of BRI at 50% and as low as 47. During the labor dispute in 1998, then-player Jordan told Washington Wizards then-owner Abe Pollin , "If you can't make a profit, you should sell your team." Whitlock called Jordan a "sellout" wanting "current players to pay for his incompetence". He cited Jordan's executive decisions to draft disappointing players Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison . In early November, about 50 players renewed talks of union decertification if
14280-740: The players' union of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also a former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins . Hunter played baseball as a child, and helped lead his team to the Little League World Series in 1955 . He graduated from Delaware Township High School in Delaware Township (now Cherry Hill ), New Jersey, and played college football for
14416-455: The players, Stern hoped to start a 72-game season in mid December. On November 14, the union rejected the last offer and dissolved the union. The NBPA was converted into a trade association , enabling the players as individual employees to participate in a class action antitrust lawsuit against the league, calling the lockout an illegal group boycott . Attorney David Boies , who represented the NFL owners in their 2011 lockout, agreed to represent
14552-417: The players, headed by director Billy Hunter and president Derek Fisher of the labor union National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), began in early 2011 and continued through November. The main issues dividing both sides were the division of revenue , the structure of the salary cap and luxury tax . Owners proposed to reduce the players' share of basketball related income (BRI) from 57% to 47%, but
14688-539: The policy. The French , Russian, and Argentine federations were able to insure their NBA players, and several other federations were also expected to be able to do so. Over 30 NBA players participated in EuroBasket 2011 , while Ben Gordon and Marcin Gortat opted out due to insurance concerns. A couple of weeks before the NBA season was originally scheduled to start, Reuters and Bloomberg Businessweek speculated on
14824-653: The prospect of increased interest in the National Hockey League (NHL) among NBA fans. The NHL had experienced steady growth since the 2005–06 season after their own lockout canceled the league's 2004–05 season. They again opened the 2011–12 season in early October to record crowds. Businessweek wrote, "Just maybe, the NBA's sketchy situation is already having a positive effect on the NHL." However several NHL teams (nearly half of which do not have an NBA team in their market) had no plans to market directly to NBA fans during
14960-399: The regular starter, but he was sidelined since February 13 with injuries to both knees. The Lakers finished the regular season with an eight-game winning streak, and ended with 56 wins. Fisher started all of the Lakers 16 playoff games as they swept through the Western Conference, averaging 13.4 points per game and shooting a team-best 51 percent from beyond the three-point line. This included
15096-504: The salaries they trade away. The maximum cash a team could pay or receive in trade was $ 3 million annually. Bryant Gumbel on his HBO Real Sports show in October likened Stern's role in the lockout to a "modern plantation overseer, treating NBA men as if they were his boys ... keeping the hired hands in their place". The NBA owners were predominantly white , while the players were mostly black . ESPN noted that William C. Rhoden in his book $ 40 Million Slaves had earlier dealt with
15232-518: The season. Fisher started all 19 playoff games, averaging 10.2 points per game as the Lakers advanced to the finals following a grueling 7 games series against the Sacramento Kings . In the finals, they defeated the New Jersey Nets to win their third straight title. By the 2002–03 season , Fisher had established himself as the Lakers' primary point guard, starting in all 82 games. But the team
15368-437: The start of the 2011–12 regular season from November to December, and it reduced the regular season from 82 to 66 games. The previous lockout in 1998–99 had shortened the season to 50 games. During the lockout, teams could not trade , sign, or contact players. Players additionally did not have access to NBA team facilities, trainers, or staff. Negotiations between the owners, led by league commissioner David Stern , and
15504-416: The team owners and the players . According to CNBC , the average player lost $ 220,000 after the first missed paycheck on November 15. However, each player did receive $ 100,000 from the NBA to compensate for salaries falling below the 57% BRI level in 2010–11. As of October 25, an estimated 400 NBA jobs were lost due to layoffs and attrition since the lockout—around 200 in the league office and another 200 among
15640-409: The team reach the Western Conference finals before falling to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in six games. On June 10, 2014, Fisher was hired by the New York Knicks to be the team's head coach, signing a five-year, $ 25 million deal. Fisher said his relationship with Jackson, who had become the president of the Knicks, was a major factor in his decision to join the team. Fisher planned for
15776-413: The team's president. He was fired in 2016, and has since been featured as a broadcast television analyst on Turner Sports' NBA programming. Fisher also joined Spectrum SportsNet for the 2016–17 NBA season to work as an in-studio analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers. On January 19, 2017, Fisher was announced as one of the analysts for Turner Sports' new Players Only programming slate. He was the head coach of
15912-426: The team's salary cap. The player could be claimed off waivers by the highest bidder; the waiving team would be responsible for the remaining salary without it counting against their cap. In a rule dubbed the "Derrick Rose Rule" after the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player Award winner , a player finishing his rookie contract could be re-signed at up to 30% of his team's salary cap—an increase from the previous CBA's 25%—if he
16048-421: The topic of players as " slaves " in spite of earning millions of dollars. Stern dismissed Gumbel's comments as "an occupational hazard" of being the NBA commissioner. In early November, NBPA attorney Jeffrey L. Kessler criticized the owners' "take it or leave it" bargaining approach: "instead of treating the players like partners, they're treating them like plantation workers." Hall of Famer Magic Johnson called
16184-405: The union went lower than 52.5% of BRI or agreed to additional restrictions on contracts, salary-cap exceptions, or free agency. Decertifying would require that 30% of the union—about 130 players—sign a petition, allowing an election under the auspices of the NLRB by all NBPA members to decertify with a simple majority . The NLRB traditionally did not consider a decertification petition while a charge
16320-399: The value to 51%. The players countered by asking for 51%, which would increase to 53 percent using those same incentives. It was rejected by the owners. Attempts for the sides to meet on October 7 failed. The union said the NBA demanded a 50–50 revenue split prior to the meeting, while the league refuted making any such demands. After talks on October 9 and 10, the two sides were unable to reach
16456-524: The waivers at 6 pm Eastern time, Fisher signed a contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the remainder of the 2011–12 season. The Thunder organization called a pre-game press conference prior to its 7pm game to formally announce the signing. He chose jersey number 37, his age at the time, because his usual No. 2 was taken by Thabo Sefolosha . He made his debut on that night against the Los Angeles Clippers , scoring 5 points. The Thunder defeated
16592-496: The work stoppage ended. Stern said the league would allow players to play overseas, but he warned that it could divide the union and possibly jeopardize players' contracts if they were seriously injured. Most leagues permitted the signing of locked-out NBA players with the option of opting out; the Chinese Basketball Association , however, only allowed its clubs to sign foreign free agents who could play for at least
16728-578: The youngest United States Attorneys in history, he was appointed to serve the Northern District of California , where he prosecuted high-profile federal defendants including members of Hells Angels and the Black Panther Party . Hunter was named the executive director of the NBPA in 1996. Hunter was criticized for employing many family members within the NBPA. An external audit initiated by Derek Fisher uncovered numerous irregularities, and
16864-769: Was $ 5.8 million with the minimum around $ 500,000. The large contracts signed by Williams and Martin were extreme exceptions. In October after the cancellation of regular season games, it was not anticipated that many additional NBA players would be signed overseas; leagues had started playing, their rosters were full, and new players could disrupt the teams. Many players opted to stay in the United States instead. The New York Times speculated that many Americans would have found it hard to leave and change their lifestyle. Some played in local pick-up games, while others ranging from stars like Kevin Durant to players like Dorell Wright played in
17000-441: Was a player representative for the NBPA before becoming a member of the union's executive committee. He was elected the union's president in 2006. He supported the NBA's referees during their lockout in 2009. During the 2011 NBA lockout , Fisher took a more active role than his predecessors, and he shared the lead with Billy Hunter , the union's full-time executive director. Jason Whitlock of Foxsports.com wrote that Fisher
17136-492: Was advising players to prepare for a lockout. In May 2011, the NBPA filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing the league of negotiating in bad faith by failing to provide critical financial data to the union and repeatedly threatening to lock out players. The NBA quickly rejected the complaint, saying that the league complies fully with federal labor laws. The union also considered
17272-558: Was also ranked third in career three-point field goals in the NBA Finals. Phil Jackson said that Fisher was "definitely the spokesman for [the Lakers] as far as leadership goes", while Bryant called him his favorite teammate. In a 2011 poll of NBA players by Sports Illustrated , Fisher received the fourth-most votes, six percent, for being the best flopper in the game. "Fish takes the contact. He does draw and sell offensive fouls," Jackson said. "We're happy he does what he does." Fisher
17408-555: Was either a two-time All-Star starter, twice voted All-NBA Team , or won an MVP award . The maximum salary for a player otherwise would remain unchanged at 25, 30, or 35% of the salary cap, depending on the player's years of service. Owners : 43% Owners : 49–51% Others : 5 years with 8 percent raises. Others : 4 years with 4.5 percent raises Others : 5 years, which included years remaining on existing contract Others : 4 years, which included years remaining on existing contract Tax paying teams : Three years,
17544-575: Was eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by the eventual champion Spurs that spring , and this was followed by the signing of veteran point guard Gary Payton in the summer. As a result, Fisher was demoted back to the bench for the 2003–04 season . During NBA All-Star Weekend , he was a member of the Los Angeles team that won the Shooting Stars Competition . One of Fisher's finest playoff moments came on May 13, 2004, in Game 5 of
17680-420: Was indeed disagreement among the owners. Some thought players' proposal of taking 52% of BRI was fair, and were willing to compromise on things like tying players' future earnings to NBA's future revenue growth and maintaining current salary level. Cavaliers ' Dan Gilbert and Suns' Robert Sarver were among the hardliners who oppose the deal while Knicks' James Dolan and the Lakers' Jerry Buss were among
17816-402: Was no longer possible. He added that a tentative agreement was reached for maximum contract lengths of five years for players staying with their teams or four years when signing with another team. Reports of division among players and owners surfaced. Jason Whitlock of Foxsports.com wrote that Fisher was privately working with Stern on the 50–50 split and that Hunter confronted Fisher about
17952-469: Was pending, such as the NBPA's unfair labor practice charges filed in August. The owners and players union met on November 6, and they were joined again by federal mediator Cohen. The players proposed that they receive 51% of BRI, with a 1% portion taken out for retired players. The owners offered a "band" that would pay the players 49 to 51%, depending on revenue growth. Jeff Kessler , the union's attorney, said
18088-528: Was setting up workout centers in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston and possibly Miami for players to work out at the union's expense. The continuing lockout in October and the canceled preseason allowed Renaldo Balkman , José Juan Barea , and Carlos Arroyo to play for Puerto Rico in the Pan American Games that month. Puerto Rico won the gold medal. Although the 2012 Olympic men's basketball tournament
18224-720: Was the only 2011 All-Star going overseas, signing a one-year contract for $ 5 million to play for Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League . Former first overall draft pick Kenyon Martin , a free agent, signed a one-year contract with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association that would make him the highest paid player in the league's history at $ 500,000 a month. Unlike players who signed more lucrative contracts overseas, three-time NBA champion Tony Parker opted to play for
18360-521: Was then more than a year away, qualifying tournaments in all five of FIBA's continental zones were to be held in the Northern Hemisphere summer of 2011 (the traditional basketball offseason throughout the world). The lockout resulted in the suspension of an agreement between the NBA and FIBA by which the NBA would take on most of the costs for insuring the value of its players' contracts in the event they were injured during international competition. As
18496-477: Was traded along with a 2012 first-round draft pick to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill . The Lakers had decided to go younger, acquiring point guard Ramon Sessions earlier in the day. On March 19, he was waived by the Rockets without ever playing for them after he negotiated a contract buyout. After clearing waivers, he was eligible to sign with any team except the Lakers. On March 21, 2012, after clearing
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