At this point in the season, I think it's safe to say that all BaB fans are clamoring for the signing of Mike James for the rest of the season at the expense of cutting John Lucas III and taking his minutes. Unfortunately, this dream is precisely that, as KC Johnson noted on his twitter:

Mike James' 10-day contract expired last Thursday. Could be re-signed in March

While it is frustrating that the lesser player (James) has essentially been released again for Lucas, there are plenty of possible explanations for why the Bulls stubbornly cling to Lucas.

The prevailing theory seems to be that the Bulls are high on Lucas because he's been around for a while and knows Thibs' system. However, I think there is much more to this story than the Bulls are letting on.

Anyone who gets their foot into the NBA door has been pretty fortunate in making connections, and Tom Thibodeau is no exception. He got his first break when Eric Musselman hired him onto his staff in 1989 after getting the Timberwolves' head coaching job. Thibs got his next job assisting no other than John Lucas with the Spurs. When Lucas got a head coaching gig with the Sixers, he brought Thibs with him. The two also worked together under Jeff Van Gundy with the Knicks.

John Lucas and Thibs have worked together for a decade, and it's pretty conceivable that Thibs got to know his crappy son, Carlton Banks John Lucas III during this time span. It's my guess that we're going to be stuck with John Lucas the Turd for a while as our 11th man simply because Thibs has such a good relationship with his dad, who gave him support in the beginning of his career. Sorry for the bad news, BaBers.