With Vince Carter The Question Will Always Be What If?

What if he cared? What if he had heart? What if he worked half as hard as Kobe? What if he took advantage of his god given talents? What if he hit the weight room in his prime? What if he wasn't so selfish? What if he actually loved the game? What if?, What if?, What if!?

Those were the questions that ran through my mind when I watched Vince Carter struggle in game four on Monday. Carter almost cost the Magic their season and almost made Otis Smith look like an idiot for trading for him. Now that the Magic are down 3-1 they will probably lose the series to the Celtics and it will be a failed season for a Magic team that had only a championship their mind.

This was the year Vince could have proved all the critiques throughout his career wrong by winning a championship but all he did was just prove that those critiques were always right.

Vince came in to the league as a clean cut mainstream superstar that everyone loved. He had it all and was the perfect guy to have as the face of the league. He was the most exciting player in the league and was probably the most athletic player in the history of the league.

Vince had a potential written all over him; he had all the talent in the world. Sadly he didn't take advantage of that god given talent and now he is suffering from it. He was accused of being selfish throughout his whole career and accused of not having heart and now he is suffering from it.

The Celtics have taken the drive and heart out of the Magic this series.

Vince Carter, who was supposed to lead his team through this, lost the most heart. When you watch Vince play in this series, the question of "does he even care?" comes up like it has throughout his career.

He has open lanes and instead of taking them, he takes contested fade away's. After missing the two crucial free throws in game two of the series, Vince just walked away like "who cares?"

Vince doesn't have the heart of a champion like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan and Shaq did. He doesn't have the warrior attitude that guys like Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson did. He doesn't have the team first attitude that Steve Nash and Jason Kidd possessed.

It hurts to see him go through this because he could have been so much more than this. He came into the league with abilities that had not been seen before. He was dubbed the Next Jordan which hurt him even more. He was the most explosive athlete the league had seen.

Carter had the abilities to average 30 points in his sleep. He could take games over anytime he wanted. He had the chance to be one of the greatest players ever.

With the talent he had, Vince should have been in the same category as guys from his era like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan as first ballot Hall Of Famers.

Now, after blowing his final chance to win a ring, he probably won't ever make the Hall Of Fame.

He had the talent that could make him one of the 10 greatest players in the history of the league. Now, he probably isn't even one of the 75 greatest players of all-time. He had the talent that could have made him both an NBA Champion and MVP.

Ten years in the league, all he has to account for is a Rookie Of The Year award and the 2000 Dunk Champion.

It is pretty sad to see this happened because Vince could have been much more than what he is if he just cared more.

Vince didn't hit the weight room in his prime, which would extend his career and he wouldn't be as inconsistent as he is now. He just never had the work ethic that great players have and now it is hurting him.

Can you imagine if Vince had worked even half as hard Kobe did throughout his career?

He would be the one trying to win his fifth career Championship now, not Kobe.

Vince hasn't showed any growth or progress as a player because he is still playing with that carelessness and "who cares?" attitude.

The people in Orlando are asking why Otis traded for this guy. He was brought to Orlando to give them a go-to guy that could take big playoff games over and help them win a championship.

Unfortunately, he hasn't stepped up to the challenge. This is probably his final chance to win a championship and change his legacy. It might have even gotten him Hall Of Fame consideration, but he blew it.

Vince was supposed to be a legend in NBA history but he was missing the thing that all legends need to have. He was always missing the heart and work ethic. He thought he didn't need to put in work because the game seemed so easy to him.

He could get by his defender and dunk it over a seven footer. When he got older, some body should have told him that he won't be able to do that stuff forever. 

As much as I loved the guy, I started to hate how he never took advantage of his gift. It always seemed like a situation problem for Vince. He never really had that much help in Toronto.

The Canadian's up north have to stop being so hard on him for leaving because losing was very frustrating and he probably could have been a much bigger star if he played for an American city.

The Canadian's should be thankful for Vince because the best thing that happened to them basketball was not Steve Nash it was Vince Carter the man who put Toronto on the map and gave kids up north someone to cheer for.

Once he got traded to the New Jersey Nets, he had the chance to play on a very talented team with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. 

His team still didn't win. Vince's lack of work ethic started kicking in and has been slowing down since 2007.

He stayed relevant but he was also very inconsistent. When the trade to Orlando happened, people were beginning to think that Vince could rejuvenate his career and win a championship.

He was being traded to the most talented team in the league now, after all.

But the Magic failed because they lost all heart. Did the Magic quit? Yes.

Did Vince quit? Yes!.

Who knows what will happen to this Magic team or where Vince will be next year.

Maybe they will keep him or maybe teams will want his expiring contact.

Instead of being known as one of the greatest players in NBA history, he will just be remembered as the guy who jumped over the the 7'2" dude in the 2000 Olympics. He will be known as one of the biggest underachievers in NBA history. 

Vince Carter could have won a championship this year and had his Kevin Garnett moment, looking into the camera and asked his critiques "What now?". 

Now the question with Vince Carter will always be, What if?