The New York Knicks are giving their precious unicorn Kristaps Porzingis even more reason to want out of the Big Apple.
If the media statement made by Phil Jackson saying star forward Carmelo Anthony would be better off elsewhere wasn't enough, the Knicks have now cut ties with assistant coach Josh Longstaff, one of the closest to the talented Latvian, choosing not to renew his contract this summer, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Longstaff had worked hands-on with Porzingis not only during training camp and the regular season, but even invested time to work with him overseas, when he even requested that Longstaff serve as an assistant for his national team this summer en route to the European championships.
Longstaff was known as one of the hardest-working individuals at the coaching level within the organization, and while the reasons for the franchise not renewing his contract are unknown, it is believed to have a lot to do with Jackson's intent to immerse the team into a full-time triangle offense.
The 34-year-old assistant coach played a big part mentoring some young Knicks that made an impact this past season, aside from Porzingis, taking Willy Hernangomez and Ron Baker under his wing and teaching them the ins and outs of basketball at the pro level.
He previously did so with former Knicks guard Langston Galloway, as well as two-way forward Lance Thomas — making player development one of the few bright spots during the Jackson regime.
The Knicks have been rumored to have a deep interest in bringing former guard Pablo Prigioni onto the coaching staff, but it is yet to be known how good a fit he would be in a triangle-infused system, which no one other than public enemy No. 2 — Kurt Rambis — has any experience running.
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