During the single season he played for the Utah Jazz, Derek Fisher became the go-to guy for guys like me.

And by “guys like me,” I mean notebook jockeys and microphone hounds looking for a good quote.

See, unlike some of his teammates — Carlos Boozer, for example — Fisher actually thought about the questions he was being asked, then answered them in an interesting manner.

Of course I know Fisher’s departure from the Jazz was clouded with controversy and now that he’s back with the hated Los Angeles Lakers his name is high on the EnergySolutions Arena enemy list.

Personally, I like the guy. I appreciate his ability to express himself and I love his candor.

At almost 37-years-old, Fisher’s best playing days are behind him. But given his penchant for hard work, eye for detail and thirst for knowledge, he’ll be in the spotlight for years to come, whether it’s as a coach, an analyst or possibly even a political figure.

Currently, he is serving his second term as the NBA player’s association president. He was first elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2009.

Today, Fisher is in the middle of a battle he’s been preparing for for quite a while now. With no collective bargaining agreement in place and a stalemate between the league and its players, the fate of the 2011-12 season now hangs in the balance.

“I don’t know if there’s going to be any major movement,” Fisher said last week before kicking off his camp in downtown L.A. “We’ve agreed maybe to table some of the economic issues and really focus on the system issues and non-economic items that are still extremely important to rounding out a collective bargaining agreement.”

On Monday, Fisher and players union executive director Billy Hunter met with league officials to discuss the current lockout. To nobody’s surprise, nothing came of the meeting.

Fisher said the two sides are as far apart as they were a month ago. NBA commissioner David Stern was even less optimistic, expressing his belief that the players association is not even negotiating in good faith.

Digging in even deeper, the NBA lawyered up on Tuesday and filed two claims against the players association in federal court. Essentially, the league beat the NBAPA to the punch, heading off any attempt by the players to file an antitrust claim.

It’s obvious the league and its owners mean business and the bottom line here is that this labor situation is going to get uglier before it gets cleaned up.

In many ways, Fisher seems like the perfect man to head up the players’ union. As noted earlier, he’s bright and well informed with the oratory skills of a seasoned Washington insider.

Unfortunately, Fisher’s opponent in this matter is Stern himself. And the commissioner won’t be beaten.

Worse still, Fisher’s bright future might actually become a burden.

See, Stern is a fierce competitor and a steely leader. He runs the league with a dictatorial edge and he almost always gets what he wants.

Those who stand in his way sometimes get hurt.

Think of it this way: Fisher is a nice guy who may someday have a career in politics. Stern, on the other hand, doesn’t care how he’s perceived and he already possesses the political chops to get things done by hook or by crook.

Fisher may have the charm and communication skills of a Ronald Reagan or a Bill Clinton, but Stern has the chutzpa and the iron hand of a Lyndon Johnson or Teddy Roosevelt.

Anyone who goes after Stern will do so at his own peril — and that includes Fisher.

Honestly? I can’t even pretend to know how this whole lockout thing with shake out or exactly how long it’ll last. But with Stern at the helm, the NBA isn’t going to back down any time soon.

As for the NBAPA, it has a terrific leader in Derek Fisher. Unfortunately, if he plants his feet and attempts to take a charge, the commissioner will plow him and his future plans right into the third row.

Jim Burton is the Standard-Examiner’s sports columnist. He also covers the Utah Jazz and the NBA. He can be reached at 801-625-4265 or at jburton@standard.net. He tweets at http://twitter.com/jmb247