Even though Kurt Rambis counts eight NBA championship rings to his collection from the Lakers, the Knicks’ interim coach realizes the albatross of his two-season, 32-132 stint with Minnesota is how he often is judged.

According to a former Wolves staffer familiar with his tenure, Rambis’ 15-67 record in 2009-10 and 17-65 mark in 2010-11 was lowlighted by a bad relationship with their young star, Kevin Love, and owner Glen Taylor, a mixed-bag coaching staff and a push to install a triangle-like offense on a young crew not sophisticated enough to grasp it.

Also keep in mind, according to the staffer, the Wolves had been one of the least successful teams in the NBA since being established in 1989-90 and were coming off four straight losing seasons. That’s when Pacers general manager David Kahn left Indiana to take over the Wolves and hired Rambis.

“Whoever the coach, Kurt or whoever else, would’ve been under severe stress and pressure,” the staffer said. “The team was terrible.”

Rambis continued to struggle in the win-loss department as Knicks interim coach (9-19), but his longtime cohort, Phil Jackson, still is leaning toward keeping him despite a coaching search that, by the Zen Master’s own admission, is narrow.

Jackson has contacted David Blatt and spoken with Luke Walton, who could be bound for the Lakers after Byron Scott was fired. Jackson, though, has recommitted to keeping the triangle in place — a system with which Rambis has shown expertise.

The problem for Rambis in Minnesota was youth and a failure to get point guard Ricky Rubio to leave Spain, which left the roster ill-equipped. Rambis eventually scaled back the triangle to a one-guard front — not the traditional two-guard triangle front Jackson employed obsessively with the Bulls and Lakers.

Point guard Jonny Flynn, whom Kahn drafted before he knew he was hiring Rambis, proved to be a bad fit for the triangle. Flynn also turned out to be damaged goods — a major hip condition he suffered at Syracuse went undetected by NBA doctors before the draft.

“He didn’t have the veteran, experienced team that runs the system he wanted to run,” the Minnesota staffer said. “The style of system is not conducive to total rebuilding situations, as the Knicks are. Total rebuilding situations should emphasize maniacal, in-your-face defense and a simplistic offense and try to grind games out.”

Rambis also became too obsessed with the triangle.

“He wanted the triangle to be perfect,” the former Wolves staffer added. “One night, after we gave up 120 points, he’s walking off with the coaching staff and he says, ‘We got to work on our offense.’ It sucks so much time in preparation. It required more of a veteran team like the ones Jackson had [with the Lakers and Bulls].”

When Kahn was hired in May 2009, Kevin McHale was acting coach after his demotion from club president. It was an awkward situation, so McHale was let go.

Kahn interviewed Rambis, Mark Jackson, Monty Williams and Elston Turner. Rambis had been a longtime Lakers assistant and even had success as their interim head coach. None of the other candidates brought head-coaching experience. Rambis also got a big recommendation from Pat Riley, who coached Rambis in Los Angeles.

“Kurt was next man up as far as assistants went at the time,” the Minnesota staffer said. “He worked for Phil a number of years, was an interim. It was his turn, so to speak.”

Rambis said after becoming Knicks interim coach in February he didn’t have autonomy in Minnesota and complained to insiders he was not allowed to pick his own coaching staff.

However, Rambis didn’t have a huge array of candidates he wanted to add, his network modest.

“Kurt and Phil, guys from that ilk, don’t have a reservoir of guys,” the former Wolves staffer said. “They’re in an insulated, cloistered type of environment. When you become a head coach, a coach gets 30 calls, feeling you owe them or just from past relationships. Kurt heard from one guy — David Wohl.”

Rambis’ other assistants were picked by Wolves brass — Bill Laimbeer and Reggie Theus. It was not considered a particularly esteemed staff.

Rambis also was done in by a cool rapport with Love and team owner Glen Taylor. The staffer said Rambis tried to get Love traded after his first season to no avail. And apparently he mistreated a couple of Taylor’s trusted employees, leading the owner to hold a grudge.

“Kurt kind of got sideways with the owner,” the staffer said.

Rambis had a four-year deal, but he ended up getting dismissed after two seasons, with the former Lakers coach pleading his triangle would pay off if given the full four seasons. Rambis never got a chance to prove it.