NBA Trade Rumors: 3 Teams That Make the Most Sense for OJ Mayo
The Memphis Grizzles need to make a move if they plan on keeping the explosive and expensive Marc Gasol…which means O.J Mayo has to go.
He is scheduled to make $5.6M this year and $7.3M next year before becoming a restricted free agent.
The Grizzles just missed getting rid of Mayo at the trade deadline last February and are looking to clear up the log jam that is currently in the Grizzles backcourt. With Tony Allen, Sam Young, Rudy Gay and Xavier Henry all on the team…something has to give. Here are the three teams that are going to be courting for Mayo’s services:
The Bulls need to provide Derrick Rose with more scoring options that can keep up with him on the fast break. Mayo is versatile enough to keep up with Rose, while also being able to defend his position.
They were interested in his services at the trade deadline as a Chicago Tribune report said they "aggressively pursued" him. The Bulls need to make a big push to nab a guy that may be the difference between winning and losing a championship. Mayo gets his first realistic chance at a championship.
The Pacers have a huge need for a scoring guard like Mayo and currently have plenty of cap space. They are the perfect situation for Mayo as well.
He grew up a mere two hours away in Cincinnati, and would be given a much longer leash than if he were to go to a team like the Bulls. While he shows flashes of maturity, Mayo did still get suspended 10 games for testing positive for a banned substance that he claimed was from an energy drink he got at a gas station. Mayo also was in the headlines for getting in a fight with Allen on a team flight over an unpaid gambling debt.
The Pacers are a team that can shrug that sort of stuff off as long as Mayo is dropping 15-to-20 points a game.
Jamal Crawford isn’t coming back, and they need a guy with the skill-set of Mayo to replace him. It’s no secret the Hawks are short on cash (thanks Joe Johnson), but they have draft picks and guys like Marvin Williams and Jeff Teague that may be attractive to the Grizzles.
Mayo is scheduled to make just under $5M this season, so getting rid of Williams ($7.5M) may not be as realistic as Teague ($1.57M). If the financial aspects can be ironed out, both teams could benefit here.
Keeping Gasol is the No. 1 priority for Memphis and if that means losing Mayo, then so be it.
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