Deseret News | Summer play may be catching up with Okur

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Jazz notes: Summer play may be catching up with Okur

NGTate | 9:52 a.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Maybe the so called fans that booed Fish on Friday, need to get their priorities straight. Unbelieveable!!!

Ken C | 11:56 a.m. Dec. 2, 2007

We didn't boo him because of his daughter, we booed him because he became a Laker. No one was wishing the worse for his daughter, but when a Jazzman becomes a Laker (i.e. Karl Malone), they deserve to be booed.

Fernando Arias | 12:44 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Ken: Do you realize that players moving around the league is a fact of NBA life? It's extremely rare for players not to have to move to get better opportunities.

The one thing that is strange about the whole Fisher affair is why the Lakers signed to so huge a contract when they didn't really need him. Were the Clippers making a big offer too? Were the Knicks?

That's the only thing that hasn't been explained and something journalists should ask. When the answer is known, only silly pseudo-fans will boo Fisher.

Comments continue below

Brad | 12:49 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Fisher was booed because he lied about his daughter to get out of Utah. It's the truth. He understands the media, and PR, and used his daughter as an excuse. His daughter only gets checked every 6 months and it's in New York. Learn your geography people. Is LA closer to NY or Utah? He didn't like Utah from the beginning, and his wife is from the LA area. Connect the dots. You people were deceived by his craftinesss with the media.

Anonimous | 12:49 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

He was not even booed so much because he is a Laker...it is because when he left it was supposed to be for NY, where his daughter's surgeon is. LA was a shock to most people.

NGTate | 1:21 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

I couldn't agree with Fernando more. And I don't remember Karl Malone getting booed after becoming a Laker like Fish did. Without Fish, we wouldn't have been in the WCF. Without Fish, Ronnie Brewer probably wouldn't have matured into who he is today. Ronnie said that Fish was his mentor and thanked him for helping him through last year. Fish taught D-Will alot also. Without Fish, LHM and KOC would be struggling to comeup with a Max Contract for D-Will to keep him in a Jazz uniform forever. I for one, am glad it worked out like it did. But I respect Fisher as a player and a father and I repect him for making the decisions that are right for him and his family.

Edwin | 3:02 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

As a physician, Fisher's decision doesn't make sense. The initial treatment in New York is new and unproven (though promising) and is only performed in a small amount of locations, however, follow-up monitoring can be performed in most large medical facilities. This would lend to the perception of him being dishonest about why he wanted to leave Utah. If anyone had a good reason for leaving Utah for medical reasons, it would be Boozer. Altitude and Sickle cell doesn't mix.

Kenny | 3:03 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

I totally agree with Brad above!!! Fisher lied and fans were deceived. I"m not really smart at Geography, but LA is not closer to New York. Oh well. Did Fish study Public Relations is College?

I"m glad he left, I'm just upset that he lied about it.

SC | 3:13 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

I'm not going to boo Fisher because I'm glad he and his contract are gone. The jazz are better off with Brewer starting.

David R. VanLangeveld | 3:40 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

In response to Brad's, Dr. Edwin's, and Kenny's comments regarding (Derek) Fisher's resigning with the Lakers being related to his daughter's treatment, have any of you been reading the newspaper articles dealing with Tatum Fisher's treatment? My wife has. Dr. Edwin is correct in that the treatment done in New York is new and unproven (though promising). Because of its newness, very few doctors are familiar with all the aspects of the treatment. The doctor Tatum is seeing in the Los Angeles area is very familiar with the treatment. In spite of this, the Fishers still fly to New York periodically for further treatment on Tatum's cancer. If the Fishers had stayed in Utah, they would be flying to New York a lot more than they are. I, for one, take Derek Fisher at his word. My family and I were among the few Jazz fans who cheered him when he was introduced in Friday night's game. Anyone who thinks that Fisher is a liar obviously thinks he was lying when he said that the cheering by the fans in Game 3 of last years Houston-Jazz series meant more to him than any championship. Let's move on, people!

Anonymous | 4:59 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Karl Malone didn't get booed because he somehow seemed to miss the games the Lakers played in utah that year. maybe he knew what to expect.

Anonymous | 7:05 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Fisher is a class act, regardless of the team he plays for. Shame on the Jazz fans who booed him. It's not always about basketball!

Re: Fisher Whiners | 10:09 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

All of you bellyachers need to get over the fact that Fish is gone and he left the Jazz, no strings attached, to seek for the best situation for his family. All of you conspiracy theorists need to look at the man himself and see that sometimes an orange is an orange: he's a classy guy that left for the reasons he did. Do you honestly think he faked all of those tears in that press conference?

Yeah, he joined the Lakers, and that's too bad because the Lakers aren't too popular around here in Utah. He gave every ounce of effort while he was here, and he went to great lengths to help the Jazz get deeper into the playoffs last year. Cut the guy some slack. Unfortunately for him, the boos from the Jazz fans are the least of his worries.

Okur ailing | 10:12 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

One thing seems to be certain: Memo should strongly reconsider playing during the summer if he wants to have a long and healthy NBA career. Some players can take the beating. Memo is a big and that can translate to more problems regarding wear and tear. Here's to hoping he does what's best for his career.

Oh, and on a side note, all of these Fisher naysayers need a perspective check. What a lack of humanity.

FreshJaz_z | 11:39 p.m. Dec. 2, 2007

Jazz will need Okur to beat the rockets again in the playoffs. Please get better Okur.

FreshJ_azz

Sinan From Turkey | 1:53 a.m. Dec. 3, 2007

I hope Okur feels better and play as soon as possible. Otherwise my Jazz-game-watching may stop either. Hurry up Memo ! Don't pause my taste of watching you and the Jazz.

Ern III | 4:13 a.m. Dec. 3, 2007

Playing for Turkey at Eurobasket may prove to be an exercise in unmitigated failure for Memo. Not only are he and the Jazz currently suffering through health issues, the hapless Turks were knocked out of the FIBA tournament at the earliest possibility, despite having two formidable NBA players.

All national federations should only expect their NBA players to represent on a quadrennial (either World Championships or Olympics, in that order) or at most, triennial basis. The Spurs did the right thing in discouraging Manu Ginobili from competing internationally this past offseason, albeit for an unimportant tournament in which Argentina's qualification without their NBA players was virtually assured.

A uniform agreement between the NBA and FIBA needs to be hammered out and brought in to being. Otherwise we will end up with a multitude of Jorge Garbajosa-like scenarios.

Re: Brad | 4:57 p.m. Dec. 3, 2007

I think you're wrong, man. If something went wrong, LA would be the better place to be to get treatment for his daughter. If you had a kid with cancer, wouldn't you put your kid in the best situation possible?

Either way, it doesn't really matter who's right about Fisher's intentions because we have Brewer blossoming and extra $$$ to pay our up and coming young players.

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Jazz notes: Summer play may be catching up with Okur

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Reader comments Jazz notes: Summer play may be catching up with Okur

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Jazz notes: Summer play may be catching up with Okur