At the end of the day it should be no surprise that Derek Fisher passed on an offer to play basketball for the Miami Heat and the newly assembled “Big 3”. Fisher’s new three year $10.5 million deal won’t set any records but that is not what led Fisher to choose L.A. over Miami.

It wasn’t that the Heat didn’t make a compelling sales pitch to Fisher though. Miami President Pat Riley no doubt spoke of the opportunity to be the starting point guard from day one and the chance to build a dynasty. LeBron James was one of the first people to greet Fisher once his plane landed in Miami, James took this opportunity to let Derek know why he should suit up for the Heat next season. Finally, Miami still had plenty of cap space available to make Derek a very lucrative offer, possibly much more so than the one year $2.5 million the Lakers initially offered.

With all that being said though the Los Angeles Lakers could offer Fisher things that can’t be measured with dollar signs or by a promise of a starting position.

The L.A. Lakers drafted Fisher out of Arkansas-Little Rock with the 24th pick in the first round. He played his first season in Los Angeles with fellow Lakers rookie Kobe Bryant. Fisher has played 11 out of his 14 NBA seasons with Kobe and as a member of the Lakers. What may be even more meaningful is the fact that the five NBA Championship teams Fisher has been a part of in his career, have all been Lakers Championship teams. Fisher’s decision to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers wasn’t about the money rather it was about the relationships he has with his teammates and his loyalty to the Los Angeles Lakers.

"I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles," Fisher said in a statement on his website. "While this may not be the most lucrative contract I've been offered this offseason, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin."

Once again Pat Riley should be commended for his ability to bring LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade to Miami. He should be applauded even more so for his ability to convince the three high profile players to come and play for an NBA Championship in Miami. Pat Riley’s attempt to convince Derek Fisher to leave longtime teammate Kobe Bryant, Head Coach Phil Jackson, and the Lakers to join the “Big 3” in Miami was ultimately a sale not even Riley could make.

That is why Fisher will play under the watchful eye of Phil Jackson next season in the Staples Center. Clearly, his bond to the L.A. Lakers is one that will not be easily broken, as he has shown his commitment to the franchise. All that’s left for Fisher to do now is get back to work with his old teammate and friend Kobe Bryant and focus on winning his 6th ring. There is no doubt that they will play with a chip on their shoulder next season. All the talk these days is about new a dynasty starting, but it should be remembered that before a new dynasty can start, the Lakers dynasty has to end.