by Jeff Goodman

Lucas averaged 8.5 points and 2.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game last season as a freshman, but his role was expected to be reduced this season with the addition of freshman guards Erving Walker and Ray Shipman — and then next year the addition of elite guard Kenny Boynton.

Lucas is the son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas.

Lucas and his mother met with Billy Donovan on Wednesday and decided to go elsewhere. Lucas intends to remain in the area and finish out the semester in Gainesville.

"It's something you don't really plan," Lucas told KRIV-TV in Houston. "Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do, but it will be best for me in the long run."

He said he has made no decisions on his future.

"I am wide open," Lucas said. "I have nothing but time, so there is no real rush."

Lucas started all 36 games last season, as well as the team's first exhibition game Monday night.

"There was a point where Jai wasn't totally happy and wanted to try to make it work," Donovan said. "And I think there's probably a lot of contributing factors — being far away from home and not feeling like it's the best fit for him is how he put it."

Donovan said Lucas wanted to play the point, a spot Nick Calathes has secured. Instead, Lucas has been relegated mostly to shooting guard.

"I don't think he was mad about that, but I don't know if (he wanted) to play over there that much," Donovan said. "On any team, there's a little bit of give and take by everybody. I don't blame Jai. He's got to be happy. There's no reason to go through your career and say, 'Hey I'm unhappy every day coming to practice."'

Lucas is the eighth Florida player to transfer since the 2003-04 season, a list that includes Mario Boggan, Ryan Appleby, Rashid Al-Kaleem, Mohamed Abukar, Jimmie Sutton, David Huertas and Jonathan Mitchell.

Lucas told KRIV his departure was not an indication of problems with Donovan.

"He understood where I was coming from," Lucas said. "He wants me to be happy and that's all you can ask from a coach.

"I have no hard feelings. I love Billy Donovan. We are just going in different directions."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.