Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo told ESPNDallas.com on Thursday that he will decline the player option for the second season of his contract, opting to become a free agent for the second consecutive summer. Mayo said that he hopes to work out a long-term deal with the Mavericks, rather than taking the $4.2 million option.
"Getting something long term, locking something in is what I think is best for me," Mayo said Thursday after his exit interview with coach Rick Carlisle and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson.
The 25-year-old guard averaged 15.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds while playing a team-high 35.5 minutes per game. His production saw a decrease after the All-Star break when star forward Dirk Nowitzki returned to form after missing the first 27 games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Carlisle said he believes Mayo made major strides as an all-around player this season and could become the foundation piece for the Mavericks organization. However, with the increase in productivity, Mayo may garner much more interest from other NBA teams.
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