NBA

Knicks’ Prigioni: ‘Completely sure we will play much better’

Pablo Prigioni has done this before — backing up Jose Calderon at point guard. The Argentine and Spaniard were teammates in the Spanish League years ago with Tau Ceramica de Vitoria and now they have been reunited in Phil Jackson’s all-international point guard tandem with the Knicks.

Prigioni is delighted to have Calderon — the Knicks’ biggest offseason acquisition. And he’s just as thrilled Carmelo Anthony re-signed on the dotted line.

Prigioni said his wife and Calderon’s wife have remained friends.

“I’m very happy to have the opportunity to play with Jose one more time,” Prigioni told The Post on Saturday. “We played together in Spain and we did really well. He is a great player and very good professional, a great 3-point shooting guy. He can run the team and read the game very well and is a good defender. He has all that a good point guard must have.”

But Prigioni and Calderon, who both have a pass-first mentality, could be on opposite sides in late August, early September.

Prigioni began training camp two days ago for Team Argentina and Calderon for Spain, which is starting to loom as a favorite of the FIBA World Championship following Kevin Love’s withdrawal Saturday from Team USA because of his uncertain future.

With Anthony sitting this one out, the Knicks have no player on Team USA (Tim Hardaway Jr. is on the practice team in Las Vegas training camp). But Prigioni is excited Anthony rejoined his team in New York.

“When I saw Melo re-sign, the first thing I did was send him a message saying that I was so happy to have a chance to still play with him,” Prigioni said. “And I told him that I’m sure we will play much better next season.”

Though Prigioni’s advanced analytics numbers stood out (the club’s efficiency was far better when he was on the floor), the Knicks sputtered to a nightmarish 37-45 record in a playoff-less year in Prigioni’s second season in New York. A big improvement, Prigioni believes, is in store.

“Last year was bad for us,” Prigioni said. “We have a lot of issues in the first three months. And then when we start to win games and play better but it was too late. I’m trying to forget last year and put my head into the next season. I’m very excited with the changes that the team is doing and I’m completely sure we will play much better. That is my big wish. Play good basketball and make the fans enjoy watching the team play. I feel that we are a strong, serious team.”

Part of the optimism is Prigioni’s faith in new coach Derek Fisher, the longtime point guard. They haven’t spoken yet and won’t until after the Worlds.

“I think he is a perfect guy to be our coach this year,” Prigioni said. “He has a strong personality to be our leader, a lot of [playing] experience and knows exactly how this league is going. As a great point guard, for sure he can help Jose, the other point guards and me with all his experience. I feel I’m very lucky because I have [had] the opportunity to play with Jason Kidd, And now play for Derek. Two great point guards in the NBA.”

The triangle offense is geared to ball movement and proper cutting, which appears right up Prigioni’s alley. But neither Prigioni or Calderon will play the triangle for his respective national team.

Prigioni said he is “excited to learn” the new system because it has succeeded in the past.

He’s not as sure about Argentina’s chances at the Worlds because Carlos Delfino is not on the club and Manu Ginobili hasn’t yet decided. It may be a long shot to duplicate Argentina’s run to The Finals in the soccer World Cup in Brazil.

Prigioni knows a few of the soccer team’s players and has met Messi a handful of times.

“The guys played with heart and gave everything,” Prigioni said. “Most important, the team gave a very good image to the world.”

Prigioni said he hopes he can say the same about the Knicks one day.