Kevin McHale -- and not the one who is apparently on "Glee" -- could be the next head coach of the Houston Rockets. That is, if he's not the next head coach of the Boston Celtics. And right now, you're maybe thinking: Whaaaaaaat?
That's the report from Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski who cited league sources in stating definitively that the former Wolves VP (and twice interim coach) will interview for the Rockets job vacated by Rick Adelman's departure. The list of candidates also includes, reportedly:
Ex-Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, Dallas assistant Dwane Casey, Milwaukee assistant Kelvin Sampson, Washington assistant Sam Cassell(notes) and Houston assistant Jack Sikma.
McHale, Casey and Cassell. Because you can never have enough guys with Wolves ties in the mix when you are trying to turn around a franchise.
In fairness, we thought McHale did a credible job both times he took interim coaching duties for the Wolves -- the first time for Flip Saunders, the second for Randy Wittman, both times after rosters he had assembled had eventually backfired. Many people, including us, feel like he is a far better coach than personnel man, though that's a lot like saying the Metrodome is a better football stadium than a baseball stadium. One is functional; the other was usually dreary.
Still, we have to consider the report intriguing at the very least. McHale was long said to have a disdain for the grind of travel that came with coaching -- and as a man who longed for the peace and solitude of a Northern Minnesota retreat. For this to be true, something within McHale must have changed because you can't get much further from peace than coaching an NBA team in the great concrete slab in Texas known as Houston. Boston? That makes much more sense. But that would only be a possibility this year if Doc Rivers leaves the job.
We welcome your thoughts -- immediate reaction, speculation on motivation, perception of McHale as a coach ... that's all in play -- in the comments.
