With the NBA regular season coming to a close, teams with front office openings are beginning to ramp up their search to get the best candidates available.
In Marc Stein's newsletter with the New York Times, he said that two names coming up as candidates for front office openings this offseason are Bucks Assistant general manager Milt Newton and Celtics Assistant GM Mike Zarren.
New Orleans must decide whether it wants to go outside the organization for a new general manager to replace Dell Demps, who was fired in February, or give the job to Danny Ferry, Demps’s interim replacement.
Phoenix, which fired Ryan McDonough, its former general manager, in October, has opened its search. The Suns, as I reported last week, have already spoken to Kevin McHale and Jim Paxson about the position.
Zarren’s name has surfaced as a potential target for the Pelicans and for Washington if the Wizards’ owner, Ted Leonsis, responds to his team’s unsightly (and, to be fair, injury-filled) 30-44 campaign with the management shake-up he has long resisted. Ernie Grunfeld was installed as Washington’s president of basketball operations in June 2003.
Dell Demps was fired after this year's trade deadline following the Anthony Davis trade request saga. The Lakers made a significant push to acquire Davis, but the Pelicans held onto Davis knowing the Celtics could be in the mix for the All-Star big man this summer. The Celtics were unable to trade for Davis after trading for Kyrie Irving (Rose rule).
If Zarren were to get the Pelicans GM job, it would make for an interesting dynamic for the Celtics in Davis trade talks. It could be a good thing for the Celtics. If Jayson Tatum is a sticking point in a deal, Ainge negotiating with a long-time colleague could be beneficial. In the Kevin Garnett trade discussions, former Celtic great Kevin McHale was GM of the Timberwolves.
It could have its drawbacks too. Few know more about the Celtics' future plans and who they value on either side of a trade, so it could be tough for Ainge to come away paying less than he should have.
Whether you think it's good or bad, Zarren getting the Pelicans GM job would have a significant effect on the Celtics' efforts to land Davis in a trade this summer.
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