Memphis Grizzlies trade O.J. Mayo to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Daniel Gibson and Omri Casspi
Mayo is playing well off the bench for the Grizzlies, but the club essentially has been trying to move him for nearly two years. With his qualifying offer for next season at a hefty $7.4 million, Memphis isn't sure what it wants to do with him. Making this trade would save them a headache. Gibson gives them the 3-point shooting Mayo has provided, and then some -- Mayo is a career 38 percent shooter from behind the arc, while Gibson has shot 42 percent. He also is poised, playoff-tested and cheaper than Mayo. Casspi is young, long and fairly athletic. He'd add to their depth off the bench.
While Mayo has been a good soldier as a sixth man, his competitive juices have to be telling him he's a starter. Remember, he averaged 18 points per game during his first two seasons. Cleveland is set at the point guard position for years to come with Kyrie Irving, and putting a shooter like Mayo beside him would give the Cavs a strong backcourt for the foreseeable future. They'd be set at the guard spots and free to concentrate on improving their front line.
