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Derek Fisher isn't thinking about returning as a player ... unless you call

kelly dwyer
Derek Fisher once had to guard Pooh Richardson. (Getty Images)
Derek Fisher once had to guard Pooh Richardson. (Getty Images)

Derek Fisher, compared to other NBA basketball players, was sort of … Derek Fisher wasn’t very good during the last several seasons he played pro ball.

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The five-time champion and longtime calming influence of several fantastic Los Angeles Lakers teams shot below 40 percent from the field in each of his final five seasons (and in 11 of his 18 seasons overall), his defense understandably suffered in his mid-to-late 30s, he was never a big assist guy, and he was mostly just there. Once again, that “calming influence,” and all that other junk that us sportswriters come up with.

Fisher retired from the NBA in 2014, but that retirement was called into question early on Wednesday when a recently-filmed video popped up on both his Facebook and Instagram page:

Working on being a better me. Loving every minute of this journey #inthelab #imnotdoneyet #workingonme #biggerthanbasketball #butilovethisgame @dashletics

A video posted by Derek Fisher (@dereklfisher) on Aug 2, 2016 at 7:32pm PDT

ESPN even dropped this:

Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that Fisher has indeed been “exploring options and expressing interest in playing again.”

Could this make any sense? Could a 42-year old (next Tuesday, prepare your cards accordingly) Fisher, the brother of a guy that actually played with Orlando Woolridge, really be out to make an NBA team? Especially after spending 136 games coaching the New York Knicks from 2014-through-last February?

Nah. I mean, well, maybe. He’ll at least return your calls, apparently.

From Fisher’s Twitter account:

So that, rather happily, douses the whole darn thing. Unless you’re not a team owned by Mark Cuban, James Dolan, or one that plays in Salt Lake City, and you call him.

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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!