#Jared Harper ready for Knicks after dominating G-League

Former Suns point guard Jared Harper became Knicks president Leon Rose’s first player acquisition last month. Now Harper is waiting — as everyone is — to talk to Rose’s first head-coaching hire.

Since the Knicks obtained Harper on June 25, he’s had conversations with Rose and Knicks GM Scott Perry.

The 5-foot-11 speedster said he has not heard from either interim coach Mike Miller, a head-coaching candidate, or any assistants. Rose is toward the end of a six-week coaching search that has put in limbo Miller and his staff’s ability to visit players to work them out.

So Harper works out on his own in his hometown of Atlanta twice a day with a personal trainer. He’s waiting for the go-ahead to come to New York during these restrictive COVID-19 times. Only individual workouts with one coach is permitted in team facilities for the eight teams excluded from the Orlando restart.

“[Rose and Perry] told me they couldn’t wait for me to be part of the team, be in New York and be myself,’’ Harper told The Post in a phone interview. “Just play my game and everything else will take care of itself. I feel there are a lot of great things I could do and have good potential to do those things.’’

After signing a two-way contract, the rookie out of Auburn got little chance at the NBA level to prove himself after leading the Tigers to the Final Four in 2019.

The 22-year-old appeared in just three NBA games, logging eight minutes total. The Suns have a glut of reserve point guards in Elle Okobo, Ty Jerome and Jevon Carter behind starter Ricky Rubio. Devin Booker also plays some backup point guard. So the Suns didn’t need Harper for the restart.

However, don’t ever call his rookie season a waste, said Harper. In 33 games in the G-League, Harper led Northern Arizona with averages of 20.8 points and 5.7 assists.

“At times I felt it could have been frustrating just wanting to get an opportunity to be on the NBA floor and try to contribute to the team,” Harper said. “I still felt overall it was a great first year being in the G-League improving. I felt this year is the most I’ve improved overall in my career, able to work on different things. I definitely felt I became a better basketball player. I wouldn’t have wanted it to go any another way because I feel I improved.’’

That the Knicks snapped him up on waivers during the COVID-19 transactional window as one of the first teams with a claim encouraged Harper, who set an Auburn single-season record with 231 assists, leading the SEC.

“It’s definitely a great spot for me,’’ Harper said. “I’ll be able to grow as a basketball player. That it happened so quick was just assurance to me I belong at this level.

“It’s similar to my Auburn situation — a great fan base. Auburn was really good before and struggled a bit and I was able to get the Auburn program back up again. I feel I want to help make Knicks basketball what it was before.‘’

It’s no surprise the player he idolizes most is another undersized point guard, the Blazers’ Damian Lillard.

“I don’t want to say pattern myself after, but I’ve watched a lot of Damian,’’ Harper said. “He’s one of my favorite players. He’s so creative to be able to score from deep and how that opens up other things.”

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl told The Post recently Harper’s ability to pull up from deep makes him more dangerous as a penetrator. Harper said he’s working on mid-range jumpers off the dribble — in isolation or pick-and-rolls.

“I’m someone who’s going to compete every time he’s on the floor,’’ Harper said. “Someone who knows what it takes to win, someone who is going to enjoy the moment.’’

The Knicks point-guard position has been unstable for years. The Knicks cut Kadeem Allen, who signed with JL Bourg Basket in France on Monday, to make room for Harper. The newest Knick may be part of a September gathering of the “Delete 8’’ for scrimmages in a Chicago bubble that will give team brass a first evaluation of Harper.

“I’m new to the team and haven’t been able to be around and interact with everybody,’’ Harper said. “I definitely would like a situation like that. It definitely would be beneficial for me.’’