12-17-2004, 03:04 PM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
|
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
|
Vince Carter Traded......Maybe?
Just heard about this story on Global News and while I'm not a big fan of basketball thought some of the guys here might have an opinion on this deal, or possible deal.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1948449
Quote:
The New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors are awaiting league approval of a trade that would send Vince Carter to the Nets, according to several league sources.
The Raptors would acquire Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two first-round draft picks in exchange for Carter, according to ESPN Insider Chad Ford. The trade cannot be announced until the NBA approves it for salary-cap purposes, which could happen before the end of the day.
All trades must be approved by the league office and players must pass physicals before they can become official. Carter is currently on the injured list with a strained left Achilles tendon suffered last Friday and will miss at least five games.
If the trade goes through, it would be the most serious indication yet that the Nets want to keep Jason Kidd and are willing to build a championship contender around him. After the offseason trades of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles, Kidd expressed his displeasure with the direction the Nets were taking. However, with Carter on board, the Nets have a shot at moving back into contention.
According to one source, Kidd was briefed on the trade and thinks Carter will be a strong addition to the team.
The two first-round picks the Raptors are to receive in the trade were obtained by the Nets from Denver in the Martin trade.
One of the picks, which was Denver's 2005 first-rounder, is protected if it is one of the first three picks in the '05 lottery.
The other, which Denver obtained from Philadelphia before trading it to the Nets, is protected if it is one of the first eight picks in the '05 lottery and one of the first five picks in the '06 lottery.
A backcourt of Kidd, Carter and Richard Jefferson is a highlight reel waiting to happen. However, the Nets will be very thin up front. After the trade, the Nets would have just Jason Collins, Brian Scalabrine and rookie Nenad Krstic to play on the front line. The move has more interesting implications for the Raptors. Both Williamses are the type of players that coach Sam Mitchell is after. They are tough, blue collar guys who will play their hearts out. Mourning gives them some size at the five that they desperately need. However, it will be interesting to see how Mourning reacts to the trade.
He's been asking out of New Jersey all season because he wants to play for a contender. Whatever you think about this trade for Toronto, it's tough to say that it turns them into a playoff-caliber team. Instead, the Raptors are trying to surround their star young player, Chris Bosh, with solid, veteran players who play the right way. The two first-round picks should help them rebuild.
|
__________________
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
|
|
|