NBA Rumors: Breaking Down Why Memphis Grizzlies Keep Trying to Trade O.J. Mayo

It's not a secret that the Memphis Grizzlies have been trying to get someone to take guard O.J. Mayo off their hands for a little over a year now.

Just when it looked like Mayo survived the trade deadline this season, a report from Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski details that the Grizzlies nearly shipped Mayo to the Boston Celtics for Ray Allen before the deadline passed.

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As the NBA trade deadline lurched into its final hour a month ago, league sources say the call Ray Allen long feared had come: Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was on the line, telling him he had been traded.

Allen had been sent to the Memphis Grizzlies for a package including O.J. Mayo and a draft pick, and the Celtics' Big Three had come to a most brusque ending.

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Adding a future Hall of Famer in Allen sure would have been enticing for the Grizzlies, but at the cost, Allen would have been an expensive rental.

Naturally, the trade fell apart. Mayo remained in a Grizzlies uniform, but it's worth taking a look at why the Grizzlies keep trying to trade the young guard.

On the surface, it seems like Mayo has settled into a role as a scorer off the bench this season, averaging a solid 12.6 points per game and providing energy as a reserve. Yet Memphis seems intent on getting rid of Mayo, one way or another.

There are plenty of reasons why, but the most obvious one is that he has value. He's a 24-year-old guard who can score, averaging 15.3 points per game for his four-year career.

Plenty of teams have interest in a young guard with a future ahead of him. By exploring trade options for the USC product, the Grizzlies could get a good enough haul to add a key piece to their current team, plus continue to build for the future by obtaining draft picks.

Mayo isn't the best fit in Memphis, and turning him into better pieces is just smart.

Then you have to look at his contract situation. Mayo will be a restricted free agent after the season and is likely due a raise from the $5.6 million he's making this year. Looking at his production, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace must judge if Mayo is worth what his dollar figure could become.

More than likely, that answer is no.

Then there's his play on the court. After averaging 18.5 points per game as a rookie in 2009, Mayo's seen his scoring drop each of the next three years, averaging only 11.3 points per game last season. His shooting is also a concern, with career lows of .406 from the floor and .364 from behind the arc.

Nothing about Mayo's game right now suggests future NBA star. He's turned himself into a solid role player, but is far off the pace from being the elite scorer that some thought he could become on draft day.

If other teams are willing to meet Memphis' price for the shooting guard, it makes perfect sense for the Grizzlies to continue to shop him. While not a major part of the Grizzlies' future, Mayo still has promise and upside, and other NBA teams will come calling.

When the season ends, you will hear Mayo's name attached to more trade rumors. This time, though, I wouldn't be surprised if he begins next season in a new uniform.