NBA, Lakers Rumors 2012: Derek Fisher Could Return to Lakers, Sources Say

Could veteran point guard and longtime L.A. Lakers mainstay Derek Fisher don the gold-and-purple once more?

ESPN's Marc Stein broke the story this past weekend that Derek Fisher--who he is told would be interested in returning to Los Angeles, and vice-versa--is eligible to resign with the Lakers.

"Sources briefed on the discussions told ESPN.com on Monday that Fisher has, indeed, been verified by the league office as eligible to re-sign with the Lakers since July 1," Stein wrote Tuesday, "which runs counter to the widely held assumption that Fisher had to wait at least one year from the date that the Lakers dealt him to Houston in March before a reunion with Kobe Bryant would be permissible."

Fisher--currently a free agent--played a vital role on five Lakers world title teams in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010, and played a crucial veteran cog in on a young Oklahoma City Thunder team that went to the NBA Finals last season.

This past weekend, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who teamed with Fisher on all five of those title runs, told ESPN that he was sure his old teammate would not be a free agent much longer.

"I'm pretty confident," Bryant told ESPN, "he'll find a team."

The newly signed labor agreement for the NBA currently states that a player traded and then waived by the team that acquired him can't re-sign with his original team for at least a year or until the traded contract expires.

However, Stein explains, Fisher's contract--waived in a buyout by the Houston Rockets in March after he was traded from the Lakers--was bought out before he could invoke his 2012-13 player's option, which means his contract had expired June 30.

Therefore, the LA crowd favorite Fisher can resign with the Lakers at any time.

While nothing is set in stone yet, Stein reports that sources with "knowledge of the Lakers' thinking" say that the Lakers are already trying to create space for Fisher to return, and are currently shopping Chris Duhon and Steve Blake for a trade.

There is also the added matter of whether or not Fisher is willing to wait around while the Lakers attempt to make space for him.

But one thing appears to be certain--if the former Lakers icon decides to return to his California stomping grounds, there won't be any league rules in the way.

For Derek Fisher's official NBA bio, click here.