Is This The End For Vince Carter?
Although it isn't fair to put all the blame on Vince Carter for the Magics season ending faster then the people in Orlando hoped, he did choke in a way and when Otis Smith wanted Vince Carter to come to Orlando he didn't want a guy who was going to average just 15.5 ppg in the playoffs and shoot 40 % from the field. He brought Vince into help them win big games and big series like the one against the Celtics but Vince shot just 36%. He was always accused of not having heart and any desire and this series may have summed up Vince's entire career, an underachiever who played with a "who cares" attitude. Now after his horrible playoff performance everyone is left wondering what will happened to Vince next season. Will he even be in Orlando?, who is going to want his huge contract? Will he become a 6th man?
It wasn't supposed to be like this for Vince he had to potential and talent to be one of the 10 greatest players the game had ever seen instead he isn't even top 75 all-time. Vince was supposed to win multiple MVP's and Championships, he was supposed to be a scoring king instead he never accomplished any of those things. Vince was supposed to be the face of the league, but he stopped caring and then it just didn't happened. He was the most athletic player the league had seen, he had a 44 inch vertical leap when he entered the league and he could hang in the air like Michael did, he was able to blow by players at will and he could also dunk over 7 footers whenever he wanted. But then it stopped, Vince stopped working and once the fame and money came he started to miss games with soft injuries, he started to complain and then he said "screw you Toronto". In New Jersey he was supposed to win but the furthest the Nets went was the second round and Vince was never able to return to his all-star level. Now in Orlando he was supposed to change his legacy by winning a championship but he failed.
You see if Vince had won a championship everyone would have forgot about all of his struggles and he would be remembered as one of the most exciting players of all time and as a champion. But his attitude never changed and now it may cost him his career. Vince was supposed to be remembered as one of the great players from his era and with the potential he had he should have been a first ballot Hall Of Famer along with guys like Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett and even Steve Nash but Vince didn't really achieve any success other then the Rookie of the year award. He was a freak of nature but now he is just a 33 year old player who shoots a lot and misses a lot. Dwight Howard had to say the following after being eliminated by the Celtics:
“Next year we have got to have guys that are willing to give everything they have got to get wins,” Howard said. “[Boston] played like they wanted to win the championship the whole series. That’s why they are in the position that they are in now.”
Maybe Dwight is already frustrated with Vince and wants him out of Orlando, although he never would say that out loud I wouldn't be surprised if coach Van Gundy and Howard want Vince out of Orlando. Even if Vince does return to Orlando next season he may have to back up J.J. Redick and will probably play around the 28 mpg mark. There are many teams that Vince would fit in better with but nobody is going to want his huge contract so Orlando wouldn't be able to trade him. Next season Vince may just become another face in the crowd when his role is reduced and he can't do anything about it and past history shows if Vince doesn't get his way he won't be happy and it would be bad for the Orlando Magic.
This may be the end for Vince he will probably fall into irrelevancy and even though he had a good career it will never be viewed that way because it was supposed to be much much more. He could have changed his legacy and been remembered as a champion but again the question is he does he even care?
