NBA Trade Rumors: O.J. Mayo Worth Memphis Grizzlies' Lofty Asking Price

Before we go any further, let's be clear about one thing concerning O.J. Mayo: The Memphis Grizzlies probably aren't trading him this season.

The latest word around the campfire is that they're inclined to hang on to Mayo for the rest of the season, as he's developed into a dangerous sixth man and the Grizzlies think they can win now with him on their roster.

But if the Grizzlies do decide to trade Mayo, they wouldn't be giving him away for nothing. On the contrary, the word from Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated is that the Grizzlies have placed a rather expensive price tag on Mayo:

If nothing else, we know that the Grizzlies have at least had discussions about Mayo. If Mannix's scoop is true, the question is whether or not any teams out there don't think a No. 1 pick is too much to pay for Mayo.

At first glance, it certainly seems like giving up a No. 1 pick is asking too much. Mayo has talent, but he's a sixth man. If a team were to give up a high draft pick for him, it wouldn't be doing so to get a reserve. It would be doing so to get a starter.

And that's where things are a little iffy. Mayo was a starter in his first two years in the league, and he performed pretty well, but what we're seeing from him this year is a strong indication that he is better-suited coming off the bench.

However, the reason Mayo is playing so well in a reserve role is because he's gone out of his way to become a more complete player. He already had talent, but this year we're seeing him shoot better than he ever has. You can see that reality reflected in his three-point shooting percentage, which has been well over 40 percent all season.

Because Mayo is clearly developing as a player, it is not at all inconceivable that he could be an effective starter on another team. A team would merely have to take a leap of faith and pay Memphis' price.

If Mayo were to be trusted to be an every-day player on another team, it would be on him to consistently bring it night after night after night. He would have to truly want it, and that would be a test of his competitive fire. 

My gut tells me that Mayo wants to be a starter deep down. Chris Broussard's gut tells him the same thing, as ESPN's NBA guru wrote (subscription required) on Tuesday that Mayo's "competitive juices have to be telling him he's a starter."

Assuming Mayo would bring it on a consistent basis, he would basically do what he's doing now, except with more minutes every night. That would result in star-like numbers.

Now, is all of this to suggest that the Grizzlies will trade Mayo if a team offers what they're apparently asking for?

Even then, I wouldn't be so sure. The Grizzlies have a pretty good thing going for them this season, and I just don't see why they would mess with it.

Still, food for thought.