Basketball News - Vinsanity Era to Resume in New Jersey



NBA All-Star Vince Carter was traded by the Toronto Raptors to the New Jersey Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and a pair of first-round draft picks Friday.

“We are very excited to add a player of Vince's caliber to the Nets roster,” said Nets President Rod Thorn. “He is a proven All-Star who brings a unique dynamic to any team of which he is a member. Vince's ability to run the floor fits in very well with our desired style of play, and his ability to create his own shot will elevate the productivity of our halfcourt offense.”

Carter is headed to a Nets team that sorely missed the athleticism it lost when Kenyon Martin left for Denver in the offseason. With Jason Kidd healthy again and Richard Jefferson on the other wing, New Jersey has a chance to return to the top of the Eastern Conference mountain.

The former North Carolina Tarheel comes to the Nets with career numbers of 24.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.33 spg and 1.03 bpg in 403 games over seven NBA seasons. The 6’6” guard/forward was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2001, the All-NBA Third Team in 2000, was the NBA Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie First Team in 1999 and was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team in each of the past five seasons.

The injured Carter will not be in uniform Sunday when the Nets play at Toronto, due to a strained left Achilles tendon, but hopes to contribute as soon as possible.

The 2000 Slam Dunk Champion is easily the biggest star to play in Canada since the NBA expanded there 10 years ago. He spent all seven years of his career in Toronto, earning the nickname "Air Canada" for his high-flying dunks. He leaves the Raptors as the franchise leader in several categories, such as scoring, 3-pointers made and games started.

Mourning, who signed with New Jersey as a free agent on July 16, 2004, has played in a total of 30 games with the Nets, averaging 9.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. After playing in 12 games in 2003-04 season, Mourning was forced to stop playing basketball due to kidney disease, and eventually underwent a kidney transplant in December of 2003.

Aaron Williams played in 336 games with New Jersey after signing as a free agent in August 2000. In four-plus seasons with the Nets, he's averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds, but has not seen as much court time as he has in the past.

Eric Williams, a 10-year veteran, signed with the Nets in August, is averaging 12.6 points as New Jersey's starting small forward.

The two first-round selections sent to the Raptors were originally acquired from Denver as part of the Kenyon Martin trade that took place this past summer.




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