As I posted in another thread... Vince Carter is 32 years old, and makes $15 million a year, and for the next 4. The Nets have to consider him a heck of a long-term liability. They are not going to make the playoffs, and he is not going up in value. Are they cheap enough to swap Raef + Trout for Vince? The deal works. http://tinyurl.com/arq53t . It gives them back a young, athletic, exciting (though often boneheaded) Trout, and saves them heap big money. I would *definitely* be stoked with this deal. I like Trout, but the dude still has no IQ, and it hurts. Vince could be the guy who leads at the SF role while Batum/Web grow up. It would make us contenders THIS YEAR. What do others think? iWatas
If he's good for another four years, I say do it. He seems healthy, and he brings the kind of experience and extra scoring punch that we need. I was hoping to be able to go after Kobe this offseason, but now that the Miles thing didn't work out, I'm thinking that's a big no-go.
I have a problem with committing $15 million/per for four more years to a guy who just turned 32 and who has a lot of miles on his legs. When Carter's game starts to deteriorate, I think it will be in a rather rapid fashion. That's a lot of $$$ to tie up in the guy. In terms of his current game, he'd be a great fit, but the contract implications and the need to re-sign so many good players over the next 2-3 years would make me pass on the deal.
But we're going to be way over the cap in 2010 anyway. What's another 15 million to PA? Unless you think there's someone we can get this offseason as a free agent, I don't see the point in letting RLEC go to waste. Adding Carter could be the punch we need this season and maybe next. At least give guys like Batum a little bit more time to develop. The Milwaukee Bucks paired up an aging Oscar Robertson with a young Lew Alcindor and won a championship. I believe he retired that summer. I'm just wondering if we added some aging star to this core, could it put us over the top?
I'm not a big VC fan either. The guy's good days are long gone, and the franchise has always talked about if they were to trade, it'd have to be a guy that fits the timeframe, ie a 26-28 year old. I think he'd command the ball way too much over Roy, LMA and Greg, he doesn't play great D, and wouldn't seem to fit in with our chemistry. And with that contract, yuck. And he coasts too much in and out of games.
I would just like to know what you folks are expecting to get out of a trade, especially a trade where no player of exceptional value is sent out, and you get a VC quality player in return. Yes he gets paid a lot over the next few years. But in this league, good players get paid, and those that aren't don't. Yes he might not be as good in the latter years of his contract. Thats the way it is in the NBA as players get older. But my guess is, VC 3 years from now is still better than any of the small forwards we have now. That would be what I call an upgrade.
I think VC is precisely the kind of aging star this team could use. VC is on the downside of his career, but posting all-star numbers. With less wear and tear on his body, he'll be able to play for 3-4 more years for sure, and he has a *lot* of skills. His veteran savvy would be a huge asset, and he is not a player who is going to complain about playing for a winning team, or playing 20-24 minutes a game instead of 45. I really think the team could contend this year if he was a Blazer instead of Travis. He is an undeniable offensive threat who passes the ball well, and makes his teammates better. Where is the gaping hole in: Blake Roy Vince LMA Oden ? And with our bench, this team could absolutely devastate opponents. iWatas
I hope Batum will be better (esp. for his defense). But there is no question that Vince would be a huge upgrade at the SF spot. iWatas
Would Vince suddenly accept a role where he isn't the first, second or maybe third option sometimes? That's my big question since he's been 'the man' his entire career.
I'd love to add VC to this team... if the price is right. And by right I mean "low", like RLEC and draft pick(s). Ed O.
He's definitely the second option in New Jersey now behind Harris and seems to have accepted it just fine ... as for falling to 3rd (4th) it's hard to say if he'd be fine with it -- and saying yes or no would be pure speculation on anybody's part.
You would hope that he would realize that he's getting older and this would be his best shot at winning a title.
I don't think there would be any problem with it, he would be starting, and that is probably what would be important. Vince hasn't been a top tier guy for a few years now, and I am sure he knows it. He is starting to get to the point where he just wants to win a ring, and that will be his motivation factor.
vc would make us contenders this year. he is a top player still, and his contract is only guaranteed for 2 more years after this one. he is worth the money, and would instantly shore up our weakest position. if this is doable, we need to do it, period.
Absolutely, that would be the hope ... but I'm sure you would know better than anybody that stars sometimes have egos, and even when the skills fade that "need" to be the man can be tough to overcome ... not to say that this is the case with Carter, it's just something that makes me wonder, but wouldn't prevent me from pulling the trigger on a deal to get him.
It's not necessarily 2010 I'm concerned about with Carter, although even then his game may be rapidly declining. It's 2011 and 2012, when I view him to be not worth that contract, yet his contract will become an obstacle to improve his position. It would be a tough call for me, though at the end I'd decline if I were KP. It has nothing to do with VC's game right now, though. He'd be a huge upgrade even for this year and may be the reason for a series win or even two in the play-offs.