Carter just wants to fit in with Magic
July 30, 2009
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Vince Carter(notes) isn’t looking to replace DwightHoward(notes) as the face of the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic.
Not even close. The recently acquired Carter just wants to fit with his newteam and get the prize that has eluded him for a decade in the NBA—achampionship ring.
“I think we have a wonderful team,” Carter said of the Magic during abreak at his basketball camp. “On paper it’s pretty darn good. It’s thepreparation and work we put in, and not becoming complacent.”
Carter admitted on Wednesday that he was surprised by the June trade thatsent him and forward Ryan Anderson(notes) from the New Jersey Nets to the Magic forcenter Tony Battie(notes) and guards Courtney Lee(notes) and Rafer Alston(notes).
However, the thought of playing near his home and sharing the court withHoward, Rashard Lewis(notes) and Jameer Nelson(notes) has rekindled the championship hopesthat disappeared in New Jersey over the past two years with the trades thatshipped Jason Kidd(notes) to Dallas and Richard Jefferson(notes) to Milwaukee.
The acquisition of Carter gives the Magic a proven go-to player who hasaveraged 23.5 points in his 10 NBA seasons. He is also a versatile scorer whocan prevent opponents from focusing all their defensive efforts on stoppingHoward’s inside game.
The trade also gives Orlando, which lost to the Lakers in the NBA Finals infive games, an immediate replacement for Hedo Turkoglu(notes), who was shipped toToronto in a sign-and-trade deal.
The one thing Carter isn’t looking to do is to be the focal point of theMagic, something that he has been throughout his career in Toronto and NewJersey.
“If you think about it, I never really said ‘This is my team,”’ Cartersaid of his four-plus seasons in New Jersey. “I said, ‘I’m going to help thisteam win.’ When I first got here, it was Jason’s team. I just want to help make(Orlando) better. He (Howard) can be the face all he wants. My concern is moreso just getting wins. I kind of leave that for people to say or debate on. Ithink for me, it’s ‘Can Vince come in and do his part for the Orlando Magic?’That’s more so my goal.”
Carter conducted his camp at the Nets’ training facility on Wednesday. Hehad committed to the youth camp before the trade and the Nets allowed him tohold it.
But Carter enjoyed being back and seeing old friends. He talked to coachLawrence Frank, Nets president Rod Thorn and a couple of former teammates.
The only regret he had was not finishing the job he started, which was toget the Nets a title.
“I mean, I worked my butt off to gain the trust of each and every playerhere and every staff member and really to instill the mentality and belief thatwe could win,” Carter said. “I don’t think we were expected to win as manygames as we did. It was just creating a mentality and making it a habit.”
Carter was the player the Nets counted on for scoring and leadership inrecent years, and he said now it will probably fall to All-Star guard DevinHarris(notes) to fulfill the role.
“I mean, Devin can do it,” Carter said. “He has seen it done and he’sbeen around. It’s just if he wants it. He has definitely established himself inthe NBA as a player and that’s the next level for him.”
Carter spoke highly of the players the Nets acquired from Orlando, sayingLee was unbelievable, Battie was a proven veteran who has been to thechampionship round and that Alston is a great leader.
For the Nets to be successful next season, he said it will take a teameffort in a year where not much is expected.
Carter did not know how the Nets would fare in the 2010 free agency marketwhen LeBron James(notes), Chris Bosh(notes) and Dwyane Wade(notes) might all be available.
“It will be a great opportunity for somebody, maybe a guy who wants anopportunity to build a team around him and play with Devin,” Carter said. “Yougive them another guy or another stud, anything can happen. I think it’spossible. I really do.”
For now, all Carter is thinking about is the Magic, admitting he still feelsweird.
“It’s hard to say Vince Carter, Orlando Magic right now,” he said. “Itwon’t be once we start doing things as a team.”
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