Not since the days of Walter Berry and Chris Washburn’s entry into the NBA has Peter Vescey had such a reliable target as the Philadelphia Daily News/ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. In Friday’s NY Post, Vescey sticks it to Smith yet again while discussing the dysfunctional management reign of new Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

How stupid would it be to swap jockeys in the backstretch of a winnable race? Not nearly as dumb, I submit, as switching ownership, coaches and point guards (and back again), as well as providing conspicuously lame support for the general manager of a playoff-positioned team within a five-week span.

That’s not change, it’s upheaval.

Leaving us with no guessing games as to why the Cleveland Cavaliers, victimized in 15 of their past 22 struggles, are plunging out of the postseason portrait.

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Why they’ve gotten worse rather than better since Dan Gilbert (above) and his henchmen of hooples (and their consultants) came into power and advanced the spread of instability instead of stamping it out.

Acting like your everyday multi-millionaire megalomaniac, Gilbert wants everybody who hasn’t fallen for his fluctuating mortgage rates to know him by sight, sound and fury, if not by reputation and illicit moneymaking origin.

What’s Greg Anthony, a former Knick/current ESPN analyst got to do with this? Well, Gilbert’s been using him as an unpaid adviser since assuming control of the Cavs. I’d accuse him of conflict of interest except I do the same thing all the time. Been doin’ it for years, with every form of NBA life. That’s how you accrue solid sources and reliable info that’s passed along to the readers/audience.

Nonetheless, in this case the perceived conflict is a little too real, a tad too hairy. Last week a report surfaced that Anthony was interviewed by Gilbert to replace Jim Paxson as GM. I believe that to be totally bogus, though I’m sure Gilbert plans to hire his own guy so he can tell him what he wants to hear.

In other words, I definitely believe Paxson is in serious job jeopardy, probably at season’s end. Just as I believe Gilbert has conveyed that sentiment to Anthony. Next thing you know, Stephan Anal Smith, who knows from nothing, was on the air confidently reporting Paxson will be fired within 48 hours, a time line that expired yesterday.

You don’t suppose, after discovering he’s not remotely the only one Gilbert consults with regularly, Anthony leaked the above “news” he couldn’t break himself to the empty suit sitting next to him?