NBA Trade Rumors: Keeping O.J. Mayo Would Be Best Move for Memphis Grizzlies

O.J. Mayo has been mentioned in trade talks for several weeks now, but the best move the Memphis Grizzlies could make is keeping the guard. He has too much talent to trade him just for the sake of getting him off the roster.

Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal reports the Grizzlies might have finally come to that conclusion as well.

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I've put out of my mind that O.J. Mayo (right) will be traded this season, and so should you.

The reality is the Grizzlies keep getting offers for Mayo and the front office is playing defense like its players. Memphis leads the NBA in steals and its clear that this franchise isn't about to let another team steal Mayo this season.

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You have to wonder why Mayo was ever made available in the first place. His minutes have dropped dramatically since his first two seasons, which makes it seems like he's on the outs in Memphis, but the former third overall pick has been a great team player.

Instead of constantly complaining about a lack of playing time or demanding a trade, Mayo has accepted his new role and made the best of it.

So far this season he's averaging 12 points and three rebounds in 25 minutes as the team's sixth man. That's more than 20 points per game when stretched out of 48 minutes, which is good efficiency to have off the bench.

Memphis was one of the league's most surprising teams last season, knocking off the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs. And the Grizzlies are right back in the thick of things this year, so it was interesting to see them looking to deal one of their key cogs.

Hopefully now that the trade rumors have died down the front office, led by general manager Chris Wallace, takes a step back and realize what they have in Mayo. The team should be looking for more ways to get him involved, not a one-way ticket out of town.

All told, Mayo's eventually going to be looking for a chance to start again. He's got too much talent to ride out his entire career on the bench. But as for now he seems content helping the Grizzlies win in whatever way possible and he's a restricted free agent, so Memphis will continue to hold his rights.

There just isn't a viable reason to move him unless the team was absolutely blown away by an offer, which isn't likely to happen at this early point in the season.