Vince Carter to the Mavs?

[JeeberD]

Trade winds are swirling around Kurt

Kurt Thomas returned to New York late Sunday to have the cast removed from his surgically repaired right hand. He's now wondering if his visit to the doctor's office will represent his last official act as a member of the Knicks.

The trade rumors that have shadowed Thomas throughout his six seasons with the Knicks are hotter than ever. One scenario would have Thomas heading to Cleveland for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

A more complicated deal would have Thomas as part of a four-team trade that would center around Vince Carter moving from Toronto to Dallas.

The Knicks' side of the deal would include multiple players, with Thomas ending up in Dallas or Golden State and Shandon Anderson going to Toronto. The Knicks would be getting Antoine Walker from Dallas and Erick Dampier from Golden State.

"You hear a lot of rumors so maybe something is going to happen," Thomas said yesterday. "I have no idea if I'm going to be here. I just know that when training camp starts, wherever I am, I'm going to be in great shape."

Knicks president Isiah Thomas is working on several deals, all of which seem to include trading away veteran players who either did not like working for Thomas or playing with Stephon Marbury or both. Those players include Kurt Thomas, Anderson, Dikembe Mutombo and Othella Harrington.

Toronto and Dallas are recruiting several teams in an effort to deal Carter to the Mavs. The Knicks can only get involved if the trade for Chicago's Jamal Crawford falls through, which is entirely possible.

The Knicks are offering a package of Anderson, Harrington, Frank Williams, Cezary Trybanski and Moochie Norris for Crawford, Eddie Robinson and Jerome Williams.

Chicago is insisting on Dikembe Mutombo instead of Norris and the stalemate is threatening to kill the deal. The Knicks may attempt to sign Crawford to an offer sheet but there are several factors working against them. Crawford is a restricted free agent and the Bulls have the right to match any offer.

The Knicks are over the salary cap, so the maximum they can offer Crawford is $40 million over six years. In the proposed sign-and-trade deal involving the Knicks and Bulls, Crawford would receive $60 million over six years. In other words, Crawford essentially would be agreeing to a $20 million pay cut.

Isiah Thomas, though, is committed to adding more scorers to his roster, as evidenced by his interest in Crawford and Walker. Kurt Thomas, who had surgery on his right pinkie last month, is obvious trade bait because he has a reasonable contract and has been a consistent performer the last three years.

"My finger feels great," he said. "I've never been better."

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Lord, I know I don't talk to you very much, but PLEASE tell me this isn't going to happen. Just what the Mavs need, another high scoring/no defense swingman.

I think Mark Cuban and Nellie have officially lost it...

[Samdari]

I love it. The Knicks, in their continuing effort to assemble all of the bad contracts in the NBA, are trying to acquire Antoine Walker.

[cthomer5000]

I was going to say... I barely follow basketball, but isn't Carter the last thing the Mavs possibly need?

[bbor]

Woohooo...No more Wince!

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Samdari

I love it. The Knicks, in their continuing effort to assemble all of the bad contracts in the NBA, are trying to acquire Antoine Walker.

Isiah is building that team for a first round playoff sweep for the next 8 years. Just ridiculous.

[Maple Leafs]

I didn't read the full article and haven't heard of any of the other players involved, but I say pull the trigger. Toronto has officially turned on Carter. Get him out of here.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

The Knicks are over the salary cap, so the maximum they can offer Crawford is $40 million over six years.

I don't think that I will ever understand the NBA salary cap. You are over the cap so you can only spend $40 million dollars for a player? I just don't get it.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

I was going to say... I barely follow basketball, but isn't Carter the last thing the Mavs possibly need?

I don't know. I think right now they are thinking the last think they need in Antoine Walker. Vince has a much better chance to ever be a superstar/dynamic/game changing player than does Walker.

[Joe Canadian]

If only Vince had demanded a trade earlier... because if he did, Vince as a Mav would be a definite IMO. Nash's rights for Vince... Vince leaves, Raps get a guy that will keep buts in the seats, have a quality PG, and replace some of Vince's scoring.

Alas... they dumbass' that are MLSE (Raptors owners) want to keep Vince for some crazy reason.

[Joe Canadian]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I didn't read the full article and haven't heard of any of the other players involved, but I say pull the trigger. Toronto has officially turned on Carter. Get him out of here.

And it's about time they finally did... the guy is a prick to the fans (I never understood him being a fan favourite), weak, overrated, and injury prone...

When the Raptors came to Newfoundland last fall... it took all of 10 mins for us to turn on him... he wouldn't sign ONE autograph... even LeBron signed! It only took 10 mins., and they didn't even play the F'n game... what took you guys so long to realize this?

[bbor]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Vince has a much better chance to ever be a superstar/dynamic/game changing player than does Walker.

When was the last time you saw Wince play?

[miked]

The Knicks must have heard the Nets are trying to be the worst team in the area this season and this is their answer. I hate being a Nets fan. I waited so long for them to be good, and now they're on their way to selling off players again.

Haven't the Knicks learned that you can't build a team around a selfish point guard? Getting rid of Marbury was the best thing the Nets ever did.

[Daimyo]

I can't even describe how happy I was when Isiah was fired from the Pacers. The only thing that could have possibly made it sweeter was for him to get hired by the Knicks!

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Daimyo

I can't even describe how happy I was when Isiah was fired from the Pacers. The only thing that could have possibly made it sweeter was for him to get hired by the Knicks!

They are totally different situations. In Indiana, Thomas was the worst coach in the league. In New York, he is the worst GM.

The difference being, a terrible coach only leaves a temporary scar.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Samdari

I love it. The Knicks, in their continuing effort to assemble all of the bad contracts in the NBA, are trying to acquire Antoine Walker.

I think it's past the point of crazy and becoming just comical. Shandon Anderson, Penny Hardaway, Alan Houston, Tim Thomas and now potentially Walker. The funny thing is that if this deal doesn't go through, they may trade the three contracts leaving their books this year (Mutumbo, Harrington and Trybanski) for two more awful contracts from the Bulls (Robinson and Williams).

Isiah needs to realize the NBA isn't the NFL where you can cut a guy and only get stuck with his signing bonus.

[Daimyo]

team owner, league owner, coach, GM... he's running out of front office positions to screw up!

[portnoise]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I didn't read the full article and haven't heard of any of the other players involved, but I say pull the trigger. Toronto has officially turned on Carter. Get him out of here.

This trade will not happen this way. Shandon Anderson will never be equal to Vince in terms of value, no matter how low Vince's value may be right now and the club would never live down such a deal.

I also don't think Toronto has turned on Carter so much as the Toronto Star has turned on him. They've printed a number of incredibly inflammatory articles in the past few days about, among other things, his paternal grandmother who he never calls and the extravagant items on his wedding registry. Why the Star is doing this kind of character assassination, I don't know, but that's exactly what it is.

I was listening to the Fan (toronto sports radio station) this afternoon and a guy who claimed to be a "friend of Vince" said he's hearing Vince and Alvin Williams to NY for Houston, Kurt Thomas and filler. Sounds slightly more realistic but still disappointing. The Raptors can't afford to trade their main draw without getting a big draw in return.

[Joe Canadian]

Originally Posted by portnoise

I also don't think Toronto has turned on Carter so much as the Toronto Star has turned on him.

I listen to Fan 590 every day, and the callers who hate Vince outweight his fans by at least a 5-1 margain... I think it's pretty fair to say the city and the teams fans have turned on him. All I can say... it's about bloody time! Maybe there's still hope that I can once again call myself a fan of Canada's only basketball team.

[bbor]

Originally Posted by portnoise

I was listening to the Fan (toronto sports radio station) this afternoon and a guy who claimed to be a "friend of Vince" said he's hearing Vince and Alvin Williams to NY for Houston, Kurt Thomas and filler. Sounds slightly more realistic but still disappointing. The Raptors can't afford to trade their main draw without getting a big draw in return.

I heard this guy....i dunno how believable he is........plus,i don't think Wince is gonna go play for Lennie again.

[Joe Canadian]

Originally Posted by bbor

I heard this guy....i dunno how believable he is........plus,i don't think Wince is gonna go play for Lennie again.

Wasn't Vince a big Wilkens fan, and didn't he almost cry when they fired him?

[Anthony]

don't believe it. Knicks rarely get players in their prime, the lone exception being Camby from '99 and Marbury in '03. everyone else is damaged goods. even when we got Sprewell he was coming off his long suspension and no one wanted him very much cuz of him attacking Carlesimo. we just don't get good players.

so no, Vince ain't coming to NY.

[Tex Schramm]

Just what the Mavs need, another 2 guard.

It'd be nice to get Carter and Kurt Thomas, though.