LAS VEGAS — Knicks president Phil Jackson, in a bravado-laced interview, said he expects a positive resolution with Carmelo Anthony, revealing he has made him five separate offers for the free agent to choose from.
Jackson said he expected an answer Thursday — but cautioned he also expected one the previous two days and didn’t get a commitment.
Jackson most recently spoke with Anthony last Thursday, and has texted him a couple of times since but hasn’t gotten a response.
“I felt really good about my conversation with Carmelo,’’ Jackson said during the Knicks summer league practice.
“We really struck a chord the two of us and feel overly passionately about what we’re trying to get accomplished. It’s his ability to stay, be patient, lead and watch us develop a winner. There’s no instantaneous winner that we think is going to happen to the Knicks right now, but we’re going to be a lot better.’’
Asked if he expected a positive outcome, Jackson answered: “Yes. It means we go forward with some of our other plans, some of our secondary plans to sustain this team.’’
Though a maximum offer was made to Anthony last week, The Post reported exclusively he still may take a little less. Jackson confirmed Anthony is “amenable’’ to that arrangement.
Jackson has touted the idea Anthony take a little less than the maximum to allow the team more financial flexibility in 2015 and 2016 free agency.
Anthony first raised his willingness to do so during All-Star weekend.
Jackson said one scenario is for Anthony to forfeit 1 percent of the five-year, $129 million max.
The Post reported one proposal calls for Anthony to accept the max to start at $22.4 million next season and then take the highest-allowable 7.5 percent paycut in the second year that would open up cap room for 2015. That would clear about $3.5 million more in cap space than if he took the 7.5 percent raise.
But Anthony’s final haul would be $116 million — $13 million less than the max. It’s more likely he would accept a smaller pay decrease for 2015.
“They’re amenable to what we’re trying to get accomplished,’’ Jackson said of Anthony and his advisers. “It’s not a big thing. You guys have made a much bigger thing about this. It’s not a really big thing. It’s percentages less than 1 percent of dollars that go over five years. It just gives us more flexibility.
“We have maybe five different options. There’s a lot of different options.’’
The Post reported Wednesday night the Knicks expected Anthony to agree to terms Thursday despite his agent telling The Post and other outlets no decision had been made. A report Thursday night from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith suggested “renewed interest’’ in the Bulls, a scenario in which Anthony would need to ask Jackson to do a sign-and-trade because Chicago currently doesn’t have enough cap space to sign him.
Anthony has been telling confidants he is going to have a hard time telling Kobe Bryant no and turning down the Lakers, a source told The Post.
Jackson only joked when asked why no deal is official yet: “Mercury is in retrograde,’’ he said. “Communication broke down.’’
Jackson admitted to being surprised the deal is not official, but said he thought a decision could come Friday when LeBron James is expected to make his.
“I am [expecting to hear Thursday],’’ Jackson said. “I expected one yesterday and the day before yesterday. But, no, we’re waiting.’’