NBA Trade Rumors: Blake on Lakers' Trade Block Signals Derek Fisher's Return

The Los Angeles Lakers have overspent a bit. Big spending brings big taxes.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Lakers are shopping point guards Steve Blake and Chris Duhon to levy their $30 million worth of luxury tax liability.

As a result, who will be the Lakers’ backup point guard? A familiar face, that’s who.

Stein reports that if the Lakers could rid themselves of Duhon or Blake, Fisher could return to the team where he won five rings.

Fisher would sign for the veteran’s minimum, which would be a blip on the Lakers’ cap in comparison to the guard on the block.

His return to play alongside Kobe Bryant would not be imminent, however. Stein reported that NBA rules forbid a team to sign a player who was signed and traded within a year. So Fisher would need to stay in shape and be ready for a call from LA on March 15.

Sounds like a sweet deal for Fisher—fewer games to sit on the bench and more time to spend with the kids, yet he’s still getting the veteran’s minimum, which is exactly what he’ll get from Orlando or Portland or wherever he could end up otherwise.

Let’s slow down for a few paragraphs, though. The Lakers would still need to find a trade partner to take on Blake and/or Duhon. Last that I checked, the words associated with these two point guards all start with the letter "o": old, overpaid and overhyped.

Blake is set to make $8 million the next two years. All just to make threes and play porous defense.

Sounds like Fisher would be a better buy altogether, but the Lakers made the Blake deal in 2010, so what do I know?

Duhon will make a little more than $6.5 million through next season. He came to LA in the Howard trade, so the Lakers were happy to eat his contract. The question now becomes, will anybody else?

They should try calling David Kahn, he loves point guards.

The Lakers are up to their trading ways yet again. Stay tuned to see if any NBA GM takes the bait.

Only then can Derek Fisher return to his rightful place.

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