Rockets don't allow Kevin McHale to interview for Celtics coaching job

As the Celtics look to potentially replace Doc Rivers, Adrian Wojnarowski reports that one of their potential targets is off limits, Kevin McHale. According to Wojnarowski, the Rockets did not allow the Celtics permission to interview their head coach.

Here's the mini Woj-bomb:

Eliminate one possible candidate to replace Doc Rivers in Boston: Houston's Kevin McHale. Rockets wouldn't let him leave, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 17, 2013

After watching assistant coach after assistant coach interview elsewhere, the Rockets apparently drew the line with Head Coach Kevin McHale, who led the team to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons last year. This is fairly common in the NBA, giving assistant coaches the freedom to leave makes you a better destination for future assistant coaches, while a head coach is too important to allow to interview elsewhere.

What this does indicate is that McHale factors heavily into the Rockets' future. He is no stand-in as the Rockets groom his successor, he has become a very important part of the Rockets organization and he is not going elsewhere. If the Celtics want him, they're going to have to wait until his contract expires.