3 players the OKC Thunder signed past their prime
By Rylan Stiles
OKC Thunder ink Derek Fisher to a pact in an attempt to capture a championship
In March of 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with long-time and champion point guard Derek Fisher, trading him to Houston, who immediately bought him out. He did not last long on the open market; he came to terms with the OKC Thunder on a remainder-of-the-season deal before he officially cleared waivers.
Fisher played 20 games to wrap up that 2012 campaign, averaging five points, a rebound, and an assist per game while shooting 31 percent from beyond the arc. Following that season, he had a brief stop in Dallas that lasted just nine games before he returned to Oklahoma City to wrap up the 2012-13 season and play out the 2013-14 year with 80 games played.
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Derek Fisher played a total of 125 games for the Thunder as the five-time Champion averaged five points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal in the five-game NBA Finals loss to the Miami Heat back in 2012 as he shot 35 percent from distance in that series.
Fisher was a vital member of that 2012 squad, helping them navigate a tough postseason running through the previous year’s Champion Mavericks, battling his former Laker squad, and taking down the mighty Spurs before falling to LeBron James and the Miami Heat, handing the kid from Akron his first ring.
While a valuable member of the OKC Thunder squad, given his leadership skills for “Thunder U,” Fisher was past his prime during the OKC days.