DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo said he would decline the player option for the second season of his contract, deciding to become a free agent for the second consecutive summer.

Mayo, who could have returned to Dallas for $4.2 million, said he hopes to work out a long-term deal with the Mavs.

"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.

Mayo, 25, averaged 15.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds while playing a team-high 35.5 minutes per game. His production dipped significantly after the All-Star break, when star forward Dirk Nowitzki started to return to form after missing the first 27 games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Mayo, a five-year veteran and former No. 3 overall pick, has acknowledged being disappointed that a better market didn't develop for him last summer. He said he has yet to seriously consider other teams that might be a fit for him.