Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson are now ex-Nets. They were dealt to Orlando on Thursday for Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and Rafer Alston. For Carter, it is a chance to go play in his hometown and also a chance to go to an NBA Championship contender. But what does it mean for the Nets?
The Loss of Carter and Anderson
In Vince Carter, the Nets are losing an NBA All-Star caliber player who averaged over 20 points per game last year. He is a guy who can get his own shot. He can score inside and out. His versatily will be missed at the offensive end. He was also a great leader to all the younger players on the roster. He competed hard every night and played hurt.
Ryan Anderson had a solid rookie year as a Net. He brought good size and was a solid scorer, especially from the perimeter, and a good rebounder as well. Late in the season, he even suplanted Yi as the starting power forward. He is a hard worker with a big upside and appeared poised to start at the four spot next season.
The Additions of Lee, Battie, and Alston
Courtney Lee will likely take Carter's place as the starting two guard. He is a solid defender but is not a very good offensive player. He is a big drop-off from Carter in terms of scoring. Tony Battie is a solid veteran but not really an impact player. Rafer Alston had a solid season at the point in Orlando, leading them to the NBA Finals. There's one problem, though. The Nets already have an All-Star point guard in Devin Harris. So, he will be regulated to a backup.
It seems like the Nets didn't really get much back for Vince Carter. They basically trade a star for three role players. Last year they traded Richard Jefferson, also a star, for two role players. So why did they make this move?
Nets Looking to the Future
There is one reason the Nets made this trade - money. Both Alston and Battie have expiring contracts and Lee does not make much money. The trade will allow the Nets to save 16.5 million in cap space, putting them well below the cap in the summer of 2010 when they will hope to lure a prized free-agent. By then, they expect to be playing in Brooklyn, but what about their fans in Jersey?
Nets Could Care Less About Fans In Jersey
Nets fans get a bad rap but the fans they do have are very loyal and very passionate about the team. Unfortunately, some fans cannot get out to the games because there is no public transportaion to the arena in East Rutherford. However, instead of moving to a place like Newark, where the arena is just two blocks from the train station, they are planning to move the team to Brooklyn, where it will be much more difficult for fans to make the trip. There is also no guarantee the fanbase will grow there, after all, Brooklyn is Knicks territory.
With the Carter trade and the Jefferson trade last year, the Nets are basically saying to their New Jersey fans, "We don't care about you. We don't care if we stink the next couple of years, we are just looking ahead to 2010 in Brooklyn." But if you completely tear down the team, how is that going to make it an attractive destination for free-agents? Even if they land a top star, one guy can't do it alone, as evidenced by Lebron James, still titleless in Cleveland.
As a final slap in the face to New Jersey fans, word has come out that the Nets will no longer wear their blue road jerseys that say New Jersey across the front. They are trying to completely disassociate themselves from New Jersey even though they are going to play at least one more season there. They have "dissed" the fans and the fans are likely to "diss" them back. If they thought the crowds in Jersey were small before, just wait 'til this season.
