The New Orleans Pelicans are on the lookout for a new general manager. The team fired longtime head decision-maker Dell Demps on Friday, mere hours after stranded superstar Anthony Davis left his team's victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder before the game was finished.

Davis' shoulder injury and subsequent exit from Smoothie King Center with agent Rich Paul at his side made a bad situation look even worse, apparently proving the final straw that prompted Demps' dismissal after nine years on the job.

Who might the Pelicans look to as a replacement? In addition to former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin, New Orleans has interest in Boston Celtics assistant general manager Mike Zarren, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Zarren has been one of the hottest names in front office circles for years. He first joined the Celtics 14 years ago as an unpaid intern after graduating from Harvard Law School, steadily moving up the ranks ever since due in part to his expertise in analytics, statistical innovation, and the salary cap. Zarren has been frequently mentioned over the years as a leading candidate for available general manager jobs, but to this point has opted to stick with Boston, the team for which he grew up rooting.

Before making an ultimate decision on Demps' replacement, the Pelicans promoted consultant Danny Ferry to interim general manager. Also, a candidate to assume the job on a full-time basis, Ferry was integral to the Atlanta Hawks' success in the mid-2010s before reaching a buyout with the team in 2014 for reading aloud a scouting report that included offensive and racist language about a prospective free agent target. He was hired by New Orleans as a special advisor in June 2016.