“His professionalism, his intelligence, his ability to shoot, readiness to play,” Thibodeau said, when asked what he likes about Lucas III. “He adds a lot to your team. He’s the type of guy who doesn’t play for five or 10 games and if he’s called upon, he’s ready. Those guys are invaluable. He did a great job for us and he’s doing a great job for Toronto.”

With Jose Calderon and Kyle Lowry playing in front of him, Lucas III’s role has diminished from last season. When Derrick Rose missed so much time to injuries last season, Lucas III played a critical role in several victories, most memorably scoring over LeBron James on an isolation play late in a regular-season victory.

Thibodeau said Lucas’ value goes beyond games.

“Those guys bring a lot to practice,” Thibodeau said. “They help lead your team and push your team. He did that every day for us. He came in ready, alert, early, stayed late. The one thing about John is you never had to tell him to go hard. That’s in him. That’s who he is. He has great energy and is a great teammates. He did his job extremely well for us.”

via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune