NBA: McHale agrees in principle to coach Rockets

HOUSTON—Kevin McHale, a former Minnesota Timberwolves executive who was forced into a coaching role twice, has agreed in principle to coach the Houston Rockets, the Houston Chronicle reported Friday.

The NBA club did not confirm the report, which had them making an offer to McHale on Friday after a month-long search to replace Rick Adelman, who was not retained after a 43-39 season that did not include a playoff berth.

If 2.26m Chinese star center Yao Ming, who missed all but five games last season with a broken foot, is able to return to the NBA and the Rockets, he will have a former NBA star big man as his new coach.

McHale, 53, spent 13 seasons with the NBA Boston Celtics and together with NBA legend Larry Bird helped them capture three NBA titles in the 1980s. He was twice named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year as top reserve and averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for his career.

Off the court, McHale takes over a club at the start of the season for the first time after two interim coaching stints with Minnesota after firings.

McHale went 19-12 as an interim coach at the end of the 2004-2005 season after the Timberwolves fired Flip Saunders.

In the 2008-2009 campaign, T-Wolves ownership asked him to return to a coaching job and he went 20-43 but was removed from the job after the season.