Knicks president Phil Jackson subtly responded on Twitter to “Posse-gate,’’ attempting to defuse the word’s racial connotations rather than apologizing for offending LeBron James’ management group.

Jackson retweeted a post multicultural educational entity called “Posse Foundation” and sharing the link to its website:

The Posse Foundation website states it “has identified, recruited and trained 6,993 public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential to become Posse Scholars. Since 1989, these students—many of whom might have been overlooked by traditional college selection processes—have been receiving four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships from Posse’s partner institutions of higher education.”

The Posse Foundation website also features a picture of President Obama, thanking him for his “remarkable gift contribution.’’ Gaines clarified to The Post that the Posse Foundation is open to people of all backgrounds, not just African-Americans.

Jackson is under attack from LeBron James, James’ manager, Maverick Carter, and Carmelo Anthony for using the word “posse’’ in an interview when referring to James’ associates, many of whom he grew up with in Akron, Ohio. The trio believes the word is racially charged. Carter called it “demeaning’’ and Anthony said it doesn’t take “a rocket scientist’’ to realize it is offensive when referring to a group of black men. Anthony added the Zen Master shouldn’t even be discussing James since the Knicks don’t face the Cavaliers again until Dec. 7.

It wasn’t the first time Jackson referred to James and his friends as a “posse.”

“In the Cleveland game, I was impressed with LeBron James, who has made strides since we played the Cavs during the exhibition season,” Jackson wrote in his 2004 book, “The Last Season.” “Yet as talented as this kid definitely appears to be, I don’t believe he or any nineteen-year-old should be playing in the NBA. These young men grow so dependent on their posses, who fetch their cars and their girls, that they can’t possibly develop into mature self-sufficient human beings. One day, I’m convinced, we’ll find out the true extent of the psychological damage that’s being caused.”

Jackson would not talk to reporters at practice Tuesday as he walked around the court, whispering things in a few players’ ears. It should be noted Jackson’s two most trusted advisers with the Knicks are Gaines and GM Steve Mills, both of whom are African-American.

“I know Phil Jackson, he’s a good man,” Magic Johnson tweeted Wednesday, praising James’ business team while saying Jackson made a small mistake in word choice. “I don’t think he meant to disrespect LeBron James and his team.”