The Raptors have officially signed John Lucas III, the team announced today in a press release. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported last week that the two sides were in "serious talks," while Mark Deeks of ShamSports added over the weekend that Lucas' deal was expected to be for two years and $3MM, including a second-year team option.
Lucas, 29, was one of Derrick Rose's backups in Chicago last year, and Rose's nagging injuries meant that Lucas played a career-high 14.8 minutes per game, averaging 7.5 points and 2.2 assists. In Toronto, he'll be behind Kyle Lowry and Jose Calderon on the depth chart, though with Calderon on an expiring contract, Lucas could step into a larger role if the Spaniard is traded before or during the season.
The Raptors were able to sign Lucas after finalizing a deal to send James Johnson to the Kings. Clearing Johnson's $2.8MM cap figure from their books gave the Raptors plenty of space to sign Lucas to an annual $1.5MM salary.