You'll be hard-pressed to find a Utah Jazz fan who is fond of Derek Fisher. His time with the Jazz was brief, though it's not like he didn't make his mark. Yet when fans think of him, they think of his controversial departure from the team in 2007. Fisher himself recently commented on this, though Jazz fans are likely to remain skeptical.
In an exclusive interview with Josh Chambers, Fisher gave the full scope (from his point of view) of what happened between when he left the Jazz and went back to the Los Angeles Lakers not too long afterward.
Derek Fisher says he willingly surrendered the three years and $21,000,000 million remaining on his Utah contract so his daughter could receive the medical care she needed
— Josh Chambers (@JoshChambers) August 4, 2026
“We’re going to have to live in a city… That has the hospitals… And the medical care… That my daughter… pic.twitter.com/nsQLGXC37B
Fisher is claiming that he believed LA was the best route going forward after Utah released him. Surely, Jazz fans would understand all of that...
Here is what we objectively know of what happened.
-Fisher's daughter got treatment for her tragic eye cancer in New York
-Fisher asked to be released from the entirety of his contract so he could focus on his daughter's treatment
-Shortly after he was released, he rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers
Many in Utah were skeptical of what Fisher was trying to sell then, and likely won't buy his story now. Utah has excellent specialists for cancer treatment, and many believed at the time that Fisher wanted to leave to be closer back east so that his daughter would continue to get treatment. His going back to his old team, which was further out West, came off like manipulation, though no one knows for sure if that's what Fisher was doing.
It was hard to take in because, before Fisher was released from his contract, Jazz fans cheered for him when he played for the team during their previous playoff run, even as his daughter was recovering from her treatment.
The prevailing sentiment from Jazz fans is that Fisher lied to get out of Utah and go back to LA, while he claims that he thought LA was best for his daughter's treatment. It's fair to say that those who covered the Jazz aren't buying his version of events.
Continuing to use his daughter’s touching story as the reason why he got out of a contract so he coud join the Los Angeles Lakers again is such disingenuous BS. What a fraud. Derek Fisher took advantage of the Millers’ kindness. He’s lied about this so many times he probably… https://t.co/EJ0A424N3k
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) August 4, 2026
Regardless of what's true or not, it's fair to assume that he's not winning back the hearts of Jazz fans anytime soon.
Making it harder was Fisher's role in eliminating the Jazz years later
Upon rejoining the Lakers, Fisher helped the Lakers eliminate the Jazz in three consecutive postseasons from 2008 to 2010. Think he was just there for the ride? Nope, Fisher was a Jazz killer, which only rubbed the salt on the wound.
2008 was the year Utah was closest to beating LA. Fisher wasn't the primary reason why the Lakers won, but averaging 14.2 points while shooting 57.1% from the field and 64.7% from three definitely paint a picture of someone who swung the series in the Lakers' favor. It may have turned out differently had he stayed with the Jazz.
Fisher's numbers weren't as good the following two postseasons, but by then, the sun was setting on the Deron Williams era. He got two more titles after what happened with Utah, which is precisely why he's not well-liked by any Jazz fan today.
Fisher can stick to whatever story he wants about what happened with him and the Jazz, but it's pretty easy to see why no one in Utah will buy his story.
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