NBA TRADE Toronto trades Carter to Nets for players and picks

Raptors get three players and two No. 1 picks in the deal and Jason Kidd still wants out.
Los Angeles Times
Half man, half amazing, all gone.
Toronto's Vince Carter, who always insisted he wasn't the next Michael Jordan, proved it so definitively the Raptors finally gave up on him, trading the 27-year-old one-time superstar to New Jersey in a blockbuster deal that may not be the Nets' last one.
By Friday, when he was dealt for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two No. 1 picks, Carter's scoring average had declined almost annually, from a career-best 27.6 in 2000-01 to this season's career-low 15.9.
"We are very excited to add a player of Vince's caliber to the Nets roster," said team 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 half-court offense."
The Nets have more on their minds than that. Lame ducks in New Jersey until their new Brooklyn arena opens in 2007, embarrassed by their 7-14 start after unloading the salaries of Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles, Lucious Harris and Rodney Rogers, they're now hoping to persuade their unhappy franchise player, Jason Kidd, to change his mind and stay.
Kidd demands trade
Kidd voiced his displeasure at the team's moves to new owner Bruce Ratner, and a source says he wants to be traded. However, any talks had to be deferred until he returned after sitting out the first month recovering from knee surgery. Going into Friday's game in Memphis, Tenn., he had yet to play more than 28 minutes.
Nevertheless, a long list of teams is reportedly lining up, including Minnesota, which can offer the big, expiring contract of Latrell Sprewell; Portland, which can offer the big, expiring contract of Shareef Abdur-Rahim; and Denver, which is willing to offer Andre Miller and Nene.
A source says the Los Angeles Lakers are Kidd's No. 1 preference, but to date they have shown no interest, worried by his health, age (32) and contract ($90 million over five seasons through 2007-08.)
The Nets could potentially have a great running game with Kidd, Carter and Richard Jefferson. Nevertheless, restoring Kidd's faith in the program won't be easy in the face of schedule crunch. Starting with Friday's game in Memphis, they'll play 17 of 23 games on the road through Feb. 1.
Nor will it be easy for the Nets to part with three players from their front line. Former Trojan Brian Scalabrine is expected to take Mourning's place at power forward alongside center Jason Collins, leaving only Jabari Smith and rookies Nenad Krstic and Kaniel Dickens in reserve.
Damaged goods?
Carter won't be able to play for at least two games. He went on the injured list because of a strained Achilles' tendon and has missed the Raptors' last three.
The fifth pick in the 1998 draft, Carter's breathtaking, high-flying game peaked in the 2000-01 season when he led the Raptors to a 47-35 record and a 3-2 victory over the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
Then, with their second-round series tied, 3-3, and Game 7 set for a Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, Carter elected to attend his graduation ceremony in Chapel Hill, N.C., that morning and then fly to the game by chartered jet.
He wound up missing a potential game-winning shot as the Raptors lost, amid grumbling by teammates like Charles Oakley. Oakley was subsequently dumped and grumbled further that management was coddling Carter.
After that, the Raptors' victory totals fell off (42-24-33) along with Carter's scoring average (25-21-23). Injuries also became a problem; in those three seasons, he missed 68 games.