Jax passes the buck

WE ARE headed for another Summer of Melo, which means another round of “will Carmelo Anthony waive his no-trade clause?” Sure, it's getting a little repetitive at this point, but it’s still a lot more compelling than anything Phil Jackson has given New York since riding into town as the newest overpaid savior.

Anthony’s future will be the recurring storyline this offseason, which once again begins in midApril for the fourth straight year under Jackson's watch. The suddenly reclusive Jackson (which is a nice way of saying he refuses to make himself available to the media and take accountability for this disaster) would like nothing more than to make this losing season, which concluded with Wednesday's 114-113 victory over Philadelphia, all about Anthony.

Jackson, of course, began laying the ground work last December when he took a pot shot at the team’s best player and it continued with Phil’s media cronies doing his dirty work throughout the season. Those were once regarded as capital crimes in Jim Dolan’s Madison Square Garden, but Jackson has been given the freedom to do as he chooses just as long as Dolan is being shielded from blame.

Remember how Dolan was so proud to be sporting a tee-shirt that said “Ask Phil”? Sure Jim. Your highestranking basketball executive hasn’t made himself available to the New York media since September. As of now, Jackson has not committed to a state of the Knicks address in the coming days. He’s got better hiding places than El Chapo.

But as Phil hides his mistakes — and we mean big mistakes — they