Goodbye Vince: Nets Won't Resign Him

Vince Carter basically threw away the Nets play-off series with the Cleveland Cavaliers single-handedly and should not be re-signed this off-season. Even though the series is not over at three games to one, the Nets will have to win two in Cleveland and that seems highly unlikely. The Nets needed this game badly.

Vince's fade away jump shots and critical turn overs at crucial times are killing the Nets. He takes way too many shots and has too many shooting slumps and tends to shy away from the basket rather then attack. He misses the game winning shot more often then not and should not be counted on in those situations. Especially in high pressure situations like play-off games. Vince will now not be able to shake the label of a "choke artist", some one who just can't preform well in the clutch.

He has not played very well through out the whole play-offs, and the team has really relied on the play of Jason Kidd to carry the load along with Richard Jefferson and Bostjan Nachbar. Mikki Moore has also been great at times and scored 25 points in the game. Vince shot just 6-23 with 25 points and despite that, the Nets were within two with ten seconds to play. They gave to ball to Vince even though he was having a bad game and he fumbled it away out of bounds and that was the ball game. Kidd and Jefferson also had horrific shooting nights, so let a bench player take the shot or hit Moore in the post.

Play team basketball until the final whistle. Play team basketball through thick and thin. Play team basketball win or lose. There are four other guys besides Vince on the floor at any given time.

The bottom line is the Nets probably won't get past the Cavs and will need to sign a big man in the off season, preferably somebody like Kevin Garnett. They need to make a serious push at getting a high quality veteran big man. Vince is not worth the money and is wasting valuable cap space it is detrimental to the Nets. Jason Kidd doesn't have that many years left to be wasting playing with Vince Carter and Carter should be either traded or released. He takes shots away from better players and just doesn't seem to fit in with this team well. This Nets team will never be an elite team in the NBA with Carter on it. Re-signing Vince Carter would almost be suicide and certainly a guarantee of no more then a 1st or 2nd round exit year after year for the Nets.