ORLANDO – Jeff Hornacek confirmed letting go of assistant coach Josh Longstaff was not a revenge shot at Kristaps Porzingis.
In fact, Hornacek said with Longstaff’s contract expired, he sensed they had enough developmental-type coaches on the staff. Hornacek said Longstaff will not be replaced.
GM Steve Mills had inquired about ex-Knick Pablo Prigioni but he wound up accepting the head-coaching job for the Spanish team, Baskonia.
Porzingis was upset at Longstaff’s departure, figuring he’d be sent out to Latvia to work with him like last summer. The Post reported the Knicks brass wasn’t sticking it to Porzingis but felt Longstaff, brought in by Derek Fisher from Oklahoma City, hadn’t blended in well with the rest of the staff.
“We talk about player’s development and we have coaches that have played in this league a long time, they were very successful,’’ Hornacek said after the summer-league practice Friday. “We’ve already discussed about different times making player development as part of the practice so we’re going to let those guys’ expertise help out on that part of it”
Hornacek further explained the decision.
“We have a lot of guys. His contract is up and we felt our coaches can do that work too, that was it,” he said. “When I was in Utah and Jerry Sloan and Phil Johnson quit and they asked me to stay on, (assistant). Scott Layden and I, Tyrone Corbin — we did everything, three guys. Now we’ve got 25 guys out here so we’ve got plenty of bodies.’’
Hornacek still is mulling going to Latvia to watch Porzingis participate in the European championships and Latvia’s training camp and said it’s still possible for an assistant to visit. Training camp for the tournament opens in late July and the event starts in mid-to-late August.
In a text to The Post, Prigioni said he declined the Knicks’ standing offer for “family reasons.’’
“My wife and daughter both asked me to stay few years in Spain,’’ Prigioni said. “After that I will try to be back in U.S.!.’’