MILWAUKEE – In a new city with a new franchise, John Lucas III found himself in a similar situation as in the past, an adjustment period to a fresh set of teammates and coaches. Lucas has had several transitional moments in his career, but this one came with roster security and standing in the NBA after the breakout year in his last season with the Chicago Bulls.

Lucas isn’t one for complacency, so he approached a rough shooting start in his Toronto Raptors' tenure by maintaining confidence and a belief it’ll turn around any given game. After shooting 26 percent from the field over the first month of the season, Lucas is now hitting 44.1 percent from the three-point line, ranking sixth-best in the NBA and a swift rise out of that first month.

“To me, I really didn’t look at it as a struggle, just trying to get comfortable with the new offense, comfortable with the team, and not knowing when I was going to play or if I was going to play,” Lucas told RealGM. “So it was just a matter of me settling myself down mentally and just going out there and playing basketball. Right now it’s been going good.”

For Lucas, the season took an especially good turn after the trade of Jose Calderon. Lucas has averaged 9.9 points while making 30 of 54 three-pointers and stabilizing himself as the Raptors’ backup point guard in the past 15 games since Calderon was dealt.

Lucas gets a chuckle out of the fact he’s the third oldest player on the Raptors at 30, and on the court, he tries to get in his teammates’ ears whenever he can direct them. Performing also helps Lucas’ cause as a leader, and Saturday’s game against the Bucks was indicative of how terrific he’s shot recently – pouring in four three-pointers, three of which in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, toward 16 points for the night.

“We’ve got a lot of leaders on the team and I come in and give advice when I feel like it’s needed, because I have been around,” Lucas said. “I’ve been on winning teams throughout my whole professional career. Just showing the guys what it takes to get to where we’re ultimately trying to get to right now, and that’s the playoffs.

“The mental aspect of coming into every game focused, ready to go. We can’t have no letdowns, can’t have no mental lapses. We always got to make sure that we’re at 100 percent, full force.”

From Tom Thibodeau’s strict system to Dwane Casey’s schemes, Lucas values the styles of both coaches. He’s forever grateful for the way he grew under Thibodeau, receiving his first true platform to exhibit his game, and enjoys the chance now with Casey’s Raptors.

“I’m a basketball player, so I know how to adjust,” Lucas said. “I know how to fit in wherever I need to be and just making it happen wherever I’m at. Thibs gave me the opportunity to showcase my abilities to everybody in the NBA, and it led to me coming here ultimately. I had the opportunity to play. I’ve been on teams where I never really had that opportunity to play the game, so now I have opportunities to play and show everybody what I bring to the table.”

When the Raptors acquired Sebastian Telfair at the trade deadline, some observers believed it was to supplant Lucas as the backup point guard. Lucas has solidified himself as the Raptors’ backup behind Kyle Lowry, though, and in his mind the trade elevates the team’s depth chart – wherever that places him.

“I’m a team player,” Lucas said. “I’m a competitor first, just like everybody else is on the team. But at the end of the day, I go out there and play ball. I don’t worry about stuff that I can’t control. I can only control what I do on the court, and that’s all I focus on.”