The Dallas Mavericks on Saturday agreed to release Derek Fisher at the 38-year-old's request.
The move has actually been in the works for a few days, sources said, but the Mavericks asked Fisher to stay with the team until another point guard could be secured. Fisher consented to stay on and played Tuesday night against Philadelphia, only to suffer a strained patellar tendon in his right knee early in the Mavs' home win.
In a statement he issued Saturday night to confirm the move, Fisher said: "In Tuesday's game against Philadelphia, I suffered an injury to my patellar tendon. The recovery time will be approximately two weeks. With this news and the difficulty I have been having being away from my family, I have asked the organization to waive me so I can return home.
"(Mavericks owner) Mark Cuban has been extremely supportive and has granted me this request. I cannot say enough good things about this organization. From Mark, to Coach (Rick) Carlisle, to the players on the Mavericks' team, I sincerely thank them for the opportunity.
"I have made decisions in the past, leaving money and opportunity on the table, and I will need to do that again. My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won't close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."
The Mavericks, league sources told ESPN, will be calling up Chris Douglas-Roberts from the Frisco-based Texas Legends to replace Fisher. Widely rated as the top current NBA prospect in the D-League, Douglas-Roberts is scheduled to play for the Legends in Saturday night's home game against Iowa before joining the Mavericks on Sunday in San Antonio.
In nine games as a Maverick after signing Nov. 29, Fisher averaged 8.6 points and 3.6 assists in just over 25 minutes per game.
The Mavericks are eager to see if Douglas-Roberts can give them the backcourt scoring and penetration they've been seeking after his time in the NBA's developmental league, but sources said that Dallas is likewise expected to continue exploring potential trade options to strengthen its point guard position, which has been a problem all season.
After the November release of Delonte West, projected starter Darren Collison has been in and out of favor, prompting Dallas to bring in Fisher. Inconsistent youngsters Dominique Jones and Rodrigue Beaubois are the Mavs' other current options at the point.