HoopsHype.com Rumors

The Bulls have given no official word to the camps of Brewer, C.J. Watson or Kyle Korver regarding their team options, which carry a July 10 deadline. But management has given signs they are pursuing less expensive options, discussing internally the prospect of re-signing John Lucas III as an alternative to Watson. A draft pick also could plug the point-guard hole until Rose returns from knee surgery. Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Free Agency, Draft, John Lucas, John Lucas III 

Rose was grimacing lying on his back with his hand stroking his left knee. Trainer Fred Tedeschi ran to Rose along with Bulls physician Dr. Brian Cole, who felt around Rose’s knee. Rose was helped up by Tedeschi and assistant Jeff Tanaka and escorted to the locker room. Rose walked off with help but weight put on his feet, so, initially, it looked hopeful, if also of major concern. “We had the game already won,” lamented John Lucas. “That’s our brother. We are family around here. First thing I did say, ‘Get up.’ I started saying a prayer. Everyone gets alarmed anytime you see anyone on the ground and they don’t jump right back up. It was like, ‘Just get up!’ It’s been all year. He’s such a competitor and loves the game of basketball. We finally had everyone healthy.” NBA.com

Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, Injuries, John Lucas 

Veteran point guards such as Kirk Hinrich, Andre Miller and John Lucas top the list of unrestricted free agents. Others, such as guards Jamal Crawford and C.J. Watson, could be available depending how their options play out. And there may be some sleepers out there, too, such as Indiana's A.J. Price. San Jose Mercury-News

Golden State Warriors, Free Agency, Kirk Hinrich, Andre Miller, John Lucas, Jamal Crawford 

Ask Lucas himself, though, and praise for doing something as trivial as scoring a ton of points in a game will get shrugged off like sweat from a ball player’s forehead. Success is old hat for this son of an NBA legend. “I grew up in the game of basketball, so I would never do anything to disrespect the game,” Lucas told HOOPSWORLD. “That’s why I always continue to work hard and never get discouraged if I don’t play or if I’m not playing. I’m always cheering my team on. I’m the first one to get off the bench when somebody takes a charge or do anything. I love the game, and when you love the game, you compete. If you’re as competitive as I am, when you get the opportunity you try and go with it.” HoopsWorld

Chicago Bulls, John Lucas 

Former Rockets guard and longtime NBA coach John Lucas will help select, recruit and guide players as scouting consultant for the National Basketball Players Association’s Top 100 High School Basketball Camp. The 19th annual NBPA camp is designed to work with top young players on skills on the court and in life skill areas ranging from recruiting to dealing with “all the things that go on in kids’ lives,” according to Purvis Short, the NBPA’s director of player programs. “The top 100 is a camp we started 19, 20 years ago on the high school level,” Short said. “At the time, there were high school players coming into the league. The camp is designed not only to teach basketball skills but to work with all the players on life skills. Houston Chronicle

Coaching, John Lucas 

John Lucas III has been ­hearing plenty about LeBron James’ epic dunk over him in Sunday’s game. “My cousins, homeboys, everybody was texting me and sending me pictures,” Lucas III said. “It is what it is. It’s all good.” Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, John Lucas 

LeBron James spent most of the first quarter of today’s Heat-Bulls game dunking the hell out of the ball, and this alley-oop from Dwyane Wade was the clear highlight thanks to a one-handed throwdown while leaping over a helpless John Lucas. Yes, Lucas stands just 5’11 and has a sore groin, but LeBron still flew over him like he was a traffic cone. The Big Lead

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, John Lucas 

Jonathan Feigen: John Lucas added more names to his All-Star event Sunday. He called to say Rockets Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry and Chandler Parsons will play. Twitter

Houston Rockets, Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, John Lucas, Chandler Parsons 

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Rashard Lewis are expected to headline a charity game to benefit John Lucas' foundation that provides substance-abuse counseling for athletes. The game will be held on Nov. 20 at Delmar Fieldhouse in northwest Houston, once the home of the Houston Cougars' basketball team. The arena has 5,000 seats. Lucas said Wednesday about 20 players have committed to participate. "It'll be neat for the fans to come out and see," Lucas said. "It won't be a celebrity game. It's going to be a real game. I'm really excited about the competition." ESPN.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, Russell Westbrook, John Lucas 

While the NBA may be in the midst of a lockout, former NBA coach and player John Lucas told FOX 26 Sports he will host a charity game featuring a number of NBA stars on Nov. 20 at the Delmar Stadium Complex in northwest Houston. According to Lucas the players he has confirmed who will take part in the event include L.A. Clippers forward Blake Griffin, Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, Washington Wizards forward Rashard Lewis, the former star from Alief Elsik and free agent guard T.J. Ford, former star at Willowridge High School and the University of Texas. "Blake and Rashard will happen for sure," Lucas said. (Chicago Bulls guard) Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant is supposed to be coming, (Thunder center) Kendrick Perkins, T.J. Ford, (forward) Chandler Parsons with the Rockets, (guard) Jonny Flynn with the Rockets." FOX 26 Sports

Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Free Agency, Jonny Flynn, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Kendrick Perkins, Derrick Rose, Rashard Lewis, Lockout, John Lucas, Chandler Parsons 

The players are racing up and down the court running and shooting. The boss is practically bouncing along the sidelines yelling and hooting. "Jonny, that was a nice move," he shouts while chuckling, "but don't pretend that's the kind of thing we're seeing from you all of the time." "Hey, Mike!" he barks like an annoying Chihuahua during a change of possession, "I'm not sure you would have been tough enough to stay on the court in my day." Part coach, part heckler, part teacher, part buddy, part mentor, part professor, part comedian, part peer, this is John Lucas in full, a quarter century after the fall. "Truth is," he says, "I never thought I'd be alive in 2011." NBA.com

John Lucas 

Not everyone who is putting up jump shots or hustling for rebounds in his camp is realistically pursuing an NBA career. Some are just chasing the kind of normalcy and productive life that Lucas found for himself. "I go to an A.A. meeting every morning at 6:30," he says. "It's what I've had to do each day for 25 years to get to this point. I don't dwell on my past, but I don't fear it either and I don't run from it. "The greatest thing about what I've done with my recovery program over the years is when it gets families back together. Look at my own. My youngest son, Jai, has never seen me drunk. He's 23. That's something I'm proud of. That's a record I've built a day at a time." NBA.com

John Lucas 

There are no highlight dunks on YouTube because there are no cameras. There are no tales of 56-point scoring bursts because no games are played."A lot of guys have no clue what they're in for when they come here," said Matt Howard, a coach at the John Lucas Basketball Resources program for five years. "Pros sometimes think they know everything or think they can't get better. They come here with us, (and) they find out they can do things better, build on their strengths and work on their weaknesses. We break them down and build them up. "It's not for everybody. We don't kiss butt. You come to work, and we'll make you a better ballplayer." Houston Chronicle

John Lucas 

Far from the basketball court in a virtual amusement park in the shadow of the Las Vegas strip, the voice of former NBA coach and former Rockets guard John Lucas echoes inside a dark gym with no frills and the debatable existence of air conditioning. While roughly 70 NBA players have played in a high-profile "Lockout league" at Las Vegas' Impact training facility, Lucas and his staff push roughly 30 players, including a handful of young NBA talents, through grueling drills and training sessions in Houston. In this throwback, Rocky III-like setting in which luxuries are limited to metal folding chairs and a few oversized fans, egos are left inside the SUVs in the Lutheran North High School parking lot, and no one dares to protest the demands. Houston Chronicle

John Lucas 

"I know guys in the league, they'd be like, 'Man, this is crazy. I'm not coming back,' " Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young said. "But if you're a hard worker and you want to get better, this is the place to come. It's fun to play five-and-five and pickup. This is work. "It's good to sharpen your skills. You definitely have to have a different mindset to come here to work." Houston Chronicle

Philadelphia 76ers, John Lucas, Thaddeus Young 

NBA players pay $8,500 a month for the privilege. Fees vary for players at different levels and for the predraft camp. "I'm expensive," Lucas said, "but I'm worth it." The setting and much of each day's drills are decidedly old school, but these are not scenes from Red Auerbach's old Red on Roundball series. Houston Chronicle

John Lucas 

Former Rockets guard and longtime NBA coach John Lucas III is organizing a series of games in October and November featuring NBA stars in conjunction with his John Lucas Basketball Resources training camps should the NBA work stoppage continue into the scheduled start of the season. Though many arrangements have not been finalized, Lucas said he has already received commitments for some games from NBA players including stars Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin. Rockets players Terrence Williams and Jonny Flynn and Houston-based players DeAndre Jordan, John Lucas II, T.J. Ford and Damon Jones have also committed to the participate along with Baron Davis, Thaddeus Young, Derrick Williams, Tristan Thompson and Corey Joseph. Houston Chronicle

Lockout, John Lucas 

Kobe, LeBron and Renardo. "He's the third-most talented guy who has ever been in my gym, behind Kobe and LeBron," said former NBA player/coach John Lucas. "I had never seen him before, but now I see what all the fuss is about. He's got everything. He can do whatever he wants on the court. He's that talented." Yes, Lucas was talking about the enigmatic Mississippi State big man Renardo Sidney - who spent about two months this summer working with Lucas in Houston. CBSSports.com

Draft, Renardo Sidney, John Lucas 

"He's got every component to the game," Lucas said. "He has so much basketball knowledge and I think that's part of the problem. He gets frustrated and mad at his teammates." CBSSports.com

Draft, Renardo Sidney, John Lucas 

John Lucas is proud to say he's been clean and sober for the last 25 years. During his 15 years in the NBA, the former Rocket earned as much notoriety for his off-court battles with drugs and alcohol in the mid-1980s as he did for his exploits on the hardwood. "I have 25 years, one day at a time and I work at it like my basketball. My problem isn't drinking. My problem is living," Lucas said. "How do I live life on a daily basis without going and getting drunk to handle my situations? Can I play the cards I've been dealt for the day without medicating my feelings?" FOXSports SouthWest

John Lucas