Bulls Rumors: John Lucas III Worth Low-Risk Flier for Chicago
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has worked some backup point guard magic during his tenure in Chicago, and now one of those old ball-handlers may want back in.
From D.J. Augustin to Nate Robinson to Aaron Brooks, the Bulls' backups have impressed in recent years. John Lucas III did the same in Chicago in 2011-12.
Shams Charania of RealGM passed along the latest regarding Lucas’ status:
"Free agent guard John Lucas III received interest from the Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and Memphis Grizzlies, but declined those potential opportunities due to their short-term nature and has focused on making a more long-term decision, league sources told RealGM.
Lucas is believed to be hoping to ultimately return to the Bulls on a deal later this season, league sources told RealGM.
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Lucas is not going to put the Bulls over the top in their race for the Eastern Conference crown with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he could bolster the backcourt depth. Fair or not, the Bulls need to be stocked in the backcourt every year because Derrick Rose is always such a health risk.
The former MVP has already missed time this season with sprained ankles.
Chicago does have Kirk Hinrich and Aaron Brooks behind Rose this season, but there is a lack of proven shooting guards behind Jimmy Butler. Hinrich had to start off the ball when Butler missed a game against the Cavaliers in the opening week, which left the Bulls razor-thin at point guard behind Rose.
At the very least, adding Lucas would help prepare the Bulls for the worst-case scenario of another injury to Rose.
Hinrich will be asked to play some shooting guard when Butler needs a blow all year, so they would be left with only Brooks at the point guard spot if Rose got hurt in that rotation.
Considering Butler already missed a couple of games with injury this season, the more depth the Bulls can acquire, the better off they will be.
Lucas had arguably the top season of his seven-year NBA career with the Bulls when he played in 49 games in 2011-12. He scored at least 20 points in four different contests that season and finished with 7.5 points a night as a source of instant offense.
Lucas averaged 3.8 points a night in 42 games last season for the Utah Jazz.
David Aldridge of NBA.com noted that Lucas is among the point guards who picked up some preseason experience this season, so rust may not be much of a concern:
Lucas’ agent, Bernie Lee, commented on his client's time with Chicago, via Charania:
"John is in a situation, after a crazy summer, of trying to make the right decision versus any decision, but he is willing to prove himself as requested. John owes a tremendous amount of his value in the NBA to the opportunity Chicago's front office gave him there initially. Over time, it's become clear that Gar Forman has a unique ability to find value in obscure places: He signed John out of China, and he might be the best in the NBA at this. In some ways John was at the beginning of this.
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Lucas is an experienced guard who played in the playoffs with the Bulls. Chicago is on the short list of title contenders, so Lucas would be valuable even if Rose stayed healthy because of his veteran leadership that would come into play in the postseason.
The fact that signing Lucas would be a low-risk move also makes him an attractive option for the Bulls.
Chicago has 14 players on the roster, so it wouldn’t have to make a corresponding roster move or cut anyone. What’s more, Lucas is not exactly going to break the bank as a point guard looking for a job after the season started.
Lucas is a readily available point guard who has postseason experience and would be a safety net in the depth department. This is a low-risk flier that the Bulls need to explore.
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