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SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz's first, and currently only, free agent John Lucas III officially signed with the Jazz and talked about what he plans on doing this season.
Lucas knows that the Jazz are looking at building the young players up this season. He talked about how he wants to help rookie Trey Burke learn the tricks of the trade to become a great NBA player. Lucas expects to help lead the team as well as help every gel together.
The 5-11 point guard spent last season with the Toronto Raptors. Before that he spent a year with the Chicago Bulls where he put up career-best numbers with 7.5 points, 2.2 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.
Lucas hasn't had a spectacular career, but he has managed to keep a career in the NBA. While most are wondering why the veteran would sign with a rebuilding team just to mentor a young player Lucas said his expectations are more than just that.
We're trying to make the playoffs once you make the playoffs anything is possible. You never know what happens in the playoffs. I don't feel we're rebuilding all they guys that are here now have been in the league for a few years now.
–John Lucas III
"To win," Lucas said. "It is a lot of changes, but we are young, we are athletic, we have a lot of core guys coming back from last year that know the system. With me learning the system and just working. And becoming a family, becoming one. Every team I've been on that's been successful all 15 guys have got along."
Lucas said that the goal is winning. He talked about the home-court advantage that the Jazz have and how they can try to take that on the road with them. Lucas said the team needs to come together and talked about team dinners, movies and working on getting the team on the same page.
He is clearly going to be a veteran leader for the team. If for no other reason than Lucas is 30 and the oldest member of the expected starters was born in the ‘90s. Lucas knows that part of his job is training the young kids for their future, but also expects to have success now.
"We coming out, we're going to play," Lucas said. "We're trying to make the playoffs once you make the playoffs anything is possible. You never know what happens in the playoffs. My thing is take care of home court and when we are on the road get as many wins as you can on the road. When you take care of home court then you're opportunity to make the playoffs is a little bit better. I don't feel we're rebuilding all they guys that are here now have been in the league for a few years now."
Lucas said he doesn't look at this season as a rebuilding year, but as "a new beginning."
Lucas chose Utah because of the organization and the fans. He talked to former teammates and friends Ronnie Brewer and Carlos Boozer about Utah. He said they spoke so highly of the state and team that he wanted to come to Utah. Lucas talked about the advantage the fans give and how much of a headache they gave him as he visited.
Lucas spent some time down in Orlando and watched a bit of Burke playing. Lucas said that Burke did a lot of things well and while his shooting wasn't great he shouldn't dwell on that.
I would tell him don't even look at the shooting numbers. We know he can shoot, he might have just not had a good shooting Summer League.
–John Lucas III on Trey Burke's Summer League.
"I would tell him don't even look at the shooting numbers," Lucas said. "We know he can shoot, he might have just not had a good shooting Summer League."
His role is to be the mentor and he said that he has so much to offer to Burke. Both are diminutive players. Neither are explosive athletes. Both need to use other parts of their game to be successful and Lucas said he can show Burke what those things are.
Lucas said everyone is fast and strong in the NBA. He could teach Burke how to use his strengths to keep his shots from being blocked and keep spacing.
Lucas doesn't really know any players on the team that well, he said he knows recently acquired Brandon Rush. Lucas called his career hard-working and blue-collar. He said that he brings hard work and that attitude to the Jazz.
Lucas isn't the great missing piece, but if he can teach the young players to work hard and how to use their natural talents to their advantage he could become a great asset for the team.
