If the Knicks are auditioning the desperately needed point guard position, they could do worse than offering a summer-league roster spot to one of LeBron James’ closest buddies, Dru Joyce III. The Knicks’ summer league team competes in July in Las Vegas.
Joyce, who played in Poland last season, was the rock on James’ high-school team at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron. In James’ book on his high school team, “Shooting Stars,” James calls Joyce “a brother” and King James nicknamed him “The General.”
The Knicks, who have no point guards on their roster other than Toney Douglas, are willing to pull out all the stops for James and probably would be willing to offer Joyce even a training-camp invitation — if that’s what it would take.
Nicknamed Little Dru, the 6-foot point guard averaged 7.5 points and 3.4 assists in Poland. Joyce’s father was their high school coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Upon James’ recommendation, the Cavaliers signed Joyce to their summer league team in 2008.
James has a very close-knit set of long-time friends who are influential. And when he talked about his “team” having a “game plan” this summer during free agency, he was referring to his business manager, Maverick Carter, his agent Leon Rose and adviser William Wesley.
The three met with James in the visitor’s locker room late Thursday night after the Cavaliers’ ouster in Boston.