When a report emerged Wednesday that Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis was receiving serious consideration for a multiyear deal to remain the coach, one question immediately came to mind: What does team president Phil Jackson see in Rambis that the rest of us don’t?

We know Rambis has favor with Jackson, since he coached under the Hall of Famer for years in Los Angeles and understands Jackson’s preferred triangle offense as well as anyone. But if the 58-year-old Rambis, who replaced Derek Fisher before the All-Star break in...