Ex-Sixer Mbah a Moute happy with Clippers

Luc Mbah a Moute calls his situation with the Los Angeles Clippers a blessing. But this summer was full of disappointments for the small forward, who played for the 76ers last season.

After giving him the impression that he would a part of their plans, the Sixers chose not to re-sign him in the offseason. So he signed a free-agent deal with the Sacramento Kings on July 14. Two days later, the Kings voided his contract after he failed a physical. The 6-foot-8, 230-pounder later filed a grievance against Sacramento and was awarded a settlement.

He ended signing a one-year deal with the Clippers on Sept. 25. Mbah a Moute was averaging just 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds heading into the game Monday against the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center. But point production isn't the reason he is a valued starter. He's the team's lockdown defender, usually drawing the opposing team's best offensive player.

He has excelled in that role in eight NBA seasons.

"It's a life lesson, you know," Mbah a Moute, 28, said of latching on with the Clippers after this summer's disappointments. "It's always something good when everything bad happens. You never know. When you go through it, it's kind of tough. It's always something that better comes out of it."

The Sixers acquired Mbah a Moute from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a three-team trade involving the Cleveland Cavaliers on Aug. 23, 2014.

Mbah a Moute was the Sixers' veteran leader, best on-ball defender, and the guy who held the locker room together. Mbah a Moute also had his best offensive season. He averaged a career-best 9.9 points and scored in double figures 37 times in 67 games. He had scored in double figures just 29 times in his previous three seasons combined.

Mbah a Moute also made 62 three-pointers after making only 24 in 399 career games before the 2014-15 season.

"I thought I would be back [with the Sixers], to tell you the truth," he said.

Sixers coach Brett Brown can sympathize with Derek Fisher, who was fired as New York Knicks coach on Monday.

Fisher's overall record of 40-96 is the second-worst winning percentage (29.4) in Knicks history.

Sixty-five of those losses came last season when the Knicks were tanking to get a top pick in the draft.

So Fisher basically was judged by what he did in four months with the team this season. The Knicks are 23-31.

"I guess it's the reality of our profession," Brown said. "He's a good person. I thought he did a hell of a good job with the group that he had and now what they have. They hit a patch recently [losing nine of their last 10], which everybody goes through. And I'm disappointed to see his situation."

But there was a controversy surrounding Fisher. Before this season, he was involved with a well-publicized fight with Matt Barnes over his girlfriend.

Fisher becomes the fifth NBA coach fired this season, joining Kevin McHale (Rockets), David Blatt (Cavaliers), Lionel Hollins (Nets), and Jeff Hornacek (Suns).