Long could be back — if he loses out on NNats’’ top jjob b

Kevin Long isn’t necessarily finished with the Mets, but he is exploring other options.

An industry source confirmed Monday that Long, who was among the Mets’ managerial candidates — the position that went to Mickey Callaway — has been given permission to speak with the Nationals about their managerial position.

If Long, who has spent the last three seasons as the Mets hitting coach, were to depart for Washington, it would reunite him with Daniel Murphy, whose career began skyrocketing late in the 2015 season under Long’s tutelage.

“Kevin interviewed [for manager] very well and he was disappointed with our decision,” GM Sandy Al de rs o n said Monday. “Right now it’s still a possibility he will be back on the staff, but we just have to wait and see.”

Callaway and the front off ice will share input in the construction of the coaching staff. The Mets are searching for a pitch- ing coach to replace Dan War then, who wasn’ t retained, but identifying a bench coach will also be a priority.

“What we h ave told Mickey is there are some coaches we would like to have back and there are some we are wide open about considering, so it’s a little bit of jigsaw puzzle, but it only has seven pieces,” Alderson said.

Callaway said he was anxious to begin contacting players, but had already spoken to Mets captain David Wright.

“There was a natural connection there,” Callaway said. “Obviously having him around is going to be someone to lean on throughout the whole process.”

Wright had a torn rotator cuff repaired surgically in

September and this month had lower back surgery. It is unclear whether he will be ready for spring training.

Alderson declined to address his own contract status, but said he did not expect a change in the organization’s power structure. Alderson would not say if he expects to remain with the organization beyond 2018.