Derek Fisher's Options After Being Bought out by Houston Rockets

Veteran NBA point guard Derek Fisher has been in the news a lot since he was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Houston Rockets prior to last Thursday's trade deadline.

This season, the 37-year-old has been less than impressive as a point guard, much less as a starter. Despite playing an average of 25.6 minutes per game, he was only able to produce 5.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

It's been reported that the Houston Rockets have bought out the rest of Fisher's contract, rather than having him come to Houston and possibly exercising his player option next season. Fisher now has the option to finish out the season on another team as a free agent, not named the Lakers.

This would likely only happen on a team that is a championship contender for this year and is in need of a floor general. While his stats are less than impressive, Fisher's experience gives a team intangibles like veteran leadership. He's also one of the great clutch shooters in the NBA.

Beyond re-signing with a team, Fisher has other options in front of him. During the offseason, he was in the news as the head of the Players Union while they sought to ratify a new CBA agreement with the owners. He's smart, articulate and generally liked by most people in the basketball world. While retiring and riding off into the sunset may seem like a tempting option to a man who has started in 537 consecutive games, he's got other options that will play to his strengths.

There's been rumors all season that Fisher may be able to get a front office job with the Lakers, or elsewhere if he's against working for the team who traded him. He has a very high basketball IQ and could be an asset to anyone who is trying to put together a championship-caliber team. Fisher has also showed his ability to navigate stressful, tense situations by helping make this NBA season a reality, acting as a voice of reason between both sides.

Another option is to become a TV commentator. While not particularly known for his sense of humor, Fisher is articulate, intelligent and can offer insight as to what is going on during a game. This would allow him to add to any radio or TV broadcast team as a color analyst. Think of him as a Reggie Miller—interesting and knowledgeable.

There's been speculation about Fisher becoming a coach now that he's not playing. He played for years under the legend Phil Jackson and no doubt learned a lot from him in that time. With Phil retired, and no plans to come back soon, Fisher could be sought after for his extensive knowledge with the triangle offense. Also, he's played alongside with some very demanding personalities throughout the years, so he knows how to balance those, while still saying and doing what's best for the team overall.

A final option for Fisher, if he just can't walk away from the game, is to become a basketball-based philanthropist. AC Green is an example of this, with his Youth Foundation. He does appearances all over, setting up basketball tournaments where people can enjoy some friendly competition.

Fisher has the Fisher Family Foundation, which "includes assisting families affected by retinoblastoma, along with reaching out to communities and supporting education, health and fitness initiatives," according to his website. He can devote his energies into bettering communities, especially the one that has supported him for all these years.

While Derek Fisher's future is uncertain, no matter what he does, he'll always be remembered for his clutch shots and great moments he's had throughout the years.