BOSTON – Ed Tapscott, the Knicks’ former interim GM responsible for drafting the French phantom Frederic Weis last summer, defended his decision yesterday. Ironically, Tapscott spoke to The Post as he watched from the bleachers the Knicks play their second game of the Shaw’s Summer League without their AWOL Parisian pivot.

Weis, the Knicks’ 1999 first-round pick, elected not to show up for the summer league because he felt he was too out of shape to make a good impression after being with his ill father for three weeks and not working out. Weis contends he still wants to play for the Knicks this season, although speculation is he will sign with the Greek team, Olympiakos.

Tapscott, whom the Knicks fired last February after he was passed over for the GM job a year ago, said he was reluctant to talk about anything regarding Weis’ current situation. But Tapscott believes it’s too soon to call the Frenchman a bust and said passing up Ron Artest to take him was still the right thing to do at the time.

“… The logic of the decision to draft him still stands,” Tapscott told The Post. “He’s a big man with potental and they are hard to come by.”

Tapscott also remarked that he shouldn’t get all the credit – or blame – for taking Weis with the 15th overall pick. “I didn’t do it myself, other people were aware and involved in it,” Tapscott said.

Tapscott was fired more for remaining Ernie Grunfeld’s friend than for the Weis pick. After his demotion to essentially a college scout last fall, Garden prez Dave Checketts canned Tapscott after the All-Star break in February. Many insiders believe Checketts was ticked that Tapscott sat with the former Knicks GM Grunfeld during the All-Star festivities in the Bucks’ private box.

Grunfeld, now the GM with Milwaukee, has a standing offer to Tapscott to come aboard. Tapscott said he’s not “ruling it out.” While he’s likely to take that job (he was watching the Bucks play yesterday), for now, he wants to spend time with his family.