Updated: The New Orleans Hornets were said to have also been involved in the trade between the Grizzlies and Pacers. Their uncertaintity is said to have caused the trade to miss the 3 p.m. deadline.
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A deal that would have sent Pacers power forward Josh McRoberts and a future first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for shooting guard O.J. Mayo has fallen through today, near minutes after the 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline.
The proposed trade involving McRoberts, whose contract expires at the end of the season, was announced to have been completed by multiple sources up until as late as 3:40 p.m., when Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star then reported that the deal may have not happened. And, no less than a few short minutes later, the trade was confirmed as a no-go.
Mayo, a third year guard out of USC, who would have been the Pacers fourth true shooting guard, could have been used as an interim replacement for Mike Dunleavy, the team's routine starting shooting guard, who broke his thumb during Tuesday's win against the Washington Wizards. But, Mayo is averaging just 12.2 points this season after averaging 17.5 a year ago and 18.5 during his rookie season. On top of his reduced scoring this season, Mayo's minutes have also been trimmed. He averaged nearly 40 minutes a game his first two seasons, but is now playing just 28 minutes a night, while splitting time with other guards Tony Allen, Xavier Henry and Sam Young.
Wing men or big men?
While Mayo could have provided valuable minutes in the wing rotation while Dunleavy sat with his broken thumb, the trade would have also costed the Pacers their starting power forward, a position the Pacers were rumored to have been shopping for, not trading away before Dunleavy's injury -- new revelation says the team was looking to acquire PF Gerald Wallace from the Charlotte Bobcats, who wound up being dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Brandon Rush is currently serving as Dunleavy's replacement in the starting lineup, but it would have been interesting to see how the wing rotation would have been shaken up had the trade been made. It could have possibly taken Dahntay Jones completely out of the equation and reduced court time for rookie Paul George, whose minutes went from zero to regularly over 20 minutes per game shortly before the firing of then head coach Jim O'Brien on Jan. 30, once Dunleavy returned from his injury.
In the end, though, the failed trade saves the Pacers a draft pick, as well as a big man who's solidly contributed over interim head coach Frank Vogel's first 12 games. The team is 9-3 under Vogel's tutlege and McRoberts has been averaging nearly 11 points and 6.5 rebounds during the suddenly improved stretch of hoops. Had McRoberts been moved, the team would have been left with Tyler Hansbrough, who's been playing well as the comandante of the second unit, and Jeff Foster as the team's only true power fowards. However, Danny Granger and James Posey would have most likely been called upon to take on some of the minutes in the Pacers' front court the trading of McRoberts would have created, a position Granger has admitted he doesn't necessarily enjoy playing.
Busy Grizzlies
Even though the Grizzlies couldn't hammer out a deal with the Pacers, they did make another move on what's been a tremendous final day of trades.
Part of the reason Memphis might not worry too much about the Pacers deal falling through is that they were first in the market for a small forward rather than another power forward, one that could compliment Grizzlies' power foward Zach Randolph, who at one point himself had been rumored to be on the trading block.
Earlier today, they were able to do just that, acquiring defensive specialist/small forward Shane Battier from the Houston Rockets in exchange for second-year center Hasheem Thabeet. Battier will step in for injured starting small forward Rudy Gay, who's expected to be out for at least a month with a seperated shoulder. He'll try to keep Randolph and his other new Grizz teammates in the playoff hunt in Gay's absence. They're currently 32-27 and hold the last playoff spot out West, similar to the Pacers who currently occupy the eighth seed in the East.
Pacers to play Jazz tomorrow at home
McRoberts and the rest of his still Pacers teammates will play the Utah Jazz tomorrow night at Conseco Fieldhouse. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. It will also be the debut of newly acquired Jazz players Devin Harris and Derrick Favors, who were both moved in a deal that sent Jazz point guard Deron Williams out of Salt Lake to New Jersey.
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