Derek Fisher's glory days as a Laker recently came to an abrupt end (Keith Allison / Wikimedia Commons)

But this time, he won't be wearing purple and gold.

Although the veteran point guard has previously had brief stints with the Warriors and the Jazz, this time coming back to Los Angeles will be very different.

After being blindsided by the organization that won five championships in part due to his leadership, loyalty and professionalism, it's time to prove a point the only way he knows how: by fighting on the court and being a class act off the court.

After countless clutch shots, emotional moments, five championship parades, and the notorious "0.4" wearing the purple and gold, Fisher will be suiting up in a Thunder uniform in the visiting locker room in the belly of Staples Center. He will be walking out of the visitors' tunnel.

The one thing that won't have changed is the crowd's love for him.

No doubt, he will get a standing ovation and love from the fans who have shared the journey with him over the years. The somewhat awkward part will be how the Lakers organization chooses to address his homecoming to the city that is no longer his home.

Although the front office didn't speak to him directly before addressing the media regarding the trade, they will probably be ready with a montage of D-Fish's most memorable Laker moments. However, as most longtime Laker fans would argue, Fisher deserves more.

The Lakers' monetary motivation was understandable for the most part, but Fisher was a respected senior member of the Laker family, one of the few tangible reminders of the Lakers' glory days, aside from Kobe Bryant.

In fact, Fisher and Kobe were the only two Lakers who had won all five recent championships together. 

As J.A. Adande writes, "We've become accustomed to the Lakers having an edge in playoff experience; quietly they're down to only four players with championship rings."

As former co-captain for the Lakers, the go-to guy for the media, and a scrappy player for the fans, Fisher was loved all around, and his absence will linger.

Laker fans, although admitting Fisher had slowed down significantly, never thought the wallet would be the reason to dismiss a family member. Sessions wasn't acquired from the Fisher trade; in fact, Fisher has stated that he would be fine with fewer minutes. Undoubtedly it was not only the fans, but D-Fish himself who envisioned retiring as a Laker.

"Where I'm at in my life, it's about more than minutes for me," he once told Bill Plaschke. "It's about still having an impact on this team."

Now that the trade has fueled the 16-year veteran's fire, Fisher's tenacity will push him harder to win with the Thunder instead of compelling him to retire. That's just the kind of guy Fisher is.

The way the Lakers approached the difficult situation was less than ideal, and it seemed more insulting than anything. To part ways with a league-wide respected player of Fisher's caliber is one thing. But they could have at least talked to the guy, and given him a proper sendoff. His professionalism and representation on behalf of the Lakers did not warrant a face-to-face acknowledgement, and that's shocking.

Fisher's representative was notified of the trade, a few statements we made here and there by the Lakers about their appreciation for him, and it was on to the next order of business.

Yes, this is a business. But players are human beings first. Fisher's intangible contributions and his consistently going above and beyond for his team are worth acknowledging and appreciating.

Comments questioning loyalty and referring to Fisher as a departing family member peppered the internet after the announcement on March 15th. Although the Lakers are winning now, it will be interesting to see how the chemistry progresses into the postseason. During pivotal playoff moments, the Lakers will miss D-Fish's presence.

“It’s going to be emotional, I’m sure for everybody and him and I in particular,” Bryant told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “Still, in all, I wish him the best.”

Center Andrew Bynum told McMenamin that it's "going to be so tight if we see them in the conference finals and he hits a big shot. I’m going to be like, ‘Yo, that’s crazy.’”

Fisher was probably the only guy Kobe would listen to. He was often the buffer between Kobe and the team, and a mentor to the younger guys.

He set the bar as a teammate and a human being, and he will continue to do great things for his current team. Los Angeles, however, will never quite be the same.

His cool presence on the court and articulate words for teammates and fans off the court will be sorely missed.

Kobe may be the face of the Lakers, but Fisher was their soul.

The question remains for the Lakers and their fans: was it worth selling their soul? Only time will tell, but tonight is a good start.

You can reach reporter Tanaya Ghosh here or follow her on Twitter here.