Josh Longstaff hired as head coach of the Erie Bayhawks

UPDATE: The Hawks have announced the hire of Josh Longstaff.

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Per Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, Josh Longstaff is currently the name on the tip of everybody’s tongue when it comes to the head coaching job of the Erie Bayhawks, the Hawks newly-formed G League affiliate (not to be confused with the other Erie Bayhawks, who moved to Florida to become the Orlando Magic’s affiliate). Longstaff has been with the New York Knicks for the past three seasons and is particularly close with Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis, even flying out to Latvia last year to train with him in the offseason.

Porzingis and other young Knicks Willy Hernangomez, Ron Baker, Chasson Randle, and Mindaugas Kuzminskas all have credited Longstaff with helping them with their game, so he brings a strong history of developing a variety of young players, from future stars to guys barely holding onto NBA jobs. He would be a perfect fit in Erie (and eventually College Park, where the Bayhawks will move in two years) to work with the treasure trove of future draft picks the Hawks possess as a result of trades over the past few years. Not all of those draftees will fit into the main squad, so having a great developmental coach in the G League will be a big advantage for the club going forward.

Once again, the Knicks’ dysfunction looks to be to the Hawks’ advantage, as it looks like the club will land a very high-quality developmental coach to lead their new G League team.