Raptors ship Carter to Nets

Vince Carter will soon be showing off his basketball moves at Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey.

The Toronto Raptors have shipped Carter to the Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two first-round draft picks.

Toronto receives the 2005 pick originally belonging to Philadelphia and the 2006 first-round pick that was originally Denver's. When the Raptors get to use the two picks depends on those teams' finish in the next few years.

Toronto waived forward Jerome Moiso and placed rookie forwards Rafael Araujo and Pape Sow on the injured list to make room for the new additions.

Raptors general manager Rob Babcock said the two Williams give the Raptors interior toughness and some character.

"They are also the kinds of people character-wise we want in our program - tough guys, professional basketball players, professional attitude on the court and off the court, team-oriented players," he said. "Veterans that have been around and really know the ropes.

"The two draft picks are really, I think, the crucial centrepoint of this trade. It gives us an opportunity to get two young assets to our team down the road or to use those draft picks to help facilitate a trade that would be beneficial to our team."

In recent days, Portland and the New York Knicks were deemed possible destinations for Carter, a five-time all-star guard, but not New Jersey.

"It's going to be hard to replace somebody like that," Donyell Marshall told reporters prior to the Raptors' 89-86 loss to the Pacers in Indiana on Friday night. "He [Carter] was to Canada what Michael Jordan was to the Bulls. It's going to be hard.

"To lose a friend and lose a player like that, you're always sad to see him go."

"He's the face of Canada pretty much, Canadian basketball," echoed Raptors teammate Chris Bosh of Carter. "He's been the first icon of the Raptors. He's been a great player, he still is a great player and I think he will continue to do good, just somewhere else now."

Carter raised eyebrows over the summer when he asked to be traded.

Carter was apparently unhappy about not being consulted about the hirings of Babcock and head coach Sam Mitchell.

"Vince said it to me that sometimes we just need a chance of scenery," Babcock said. "And this is probably a situation where it's the best thing for Vince and the best thing for us."

The 27-year-old Carter has been plagued with injuries in his career. He was placed on the injured list last Friday with a strained Achilles tendon.

Carter averaged a career-low 15.9 points a night through 20 games this season and found himself on the bench during crucial fourth quarters in a couple of games.

He has almost three years plus an option year left on his contract, which pays him about $12.6 million US this season.

The Raptors, badly outrebounded in recent weeks, need toughness up front to help Bosh.

In Mourning, Eric Williams and Aaron Williams, the Raptors are getting a trio of established veterans whose average age is 33.

The Raptors are probably hoping that Mourning, a seven-time all-star and two-time defensive player of the year, will help establish their presence under the basket.

Rebounding has been a big weakness for the Raptors this season.

Mourning, 34, was considered one of the most dominant centres in the league until he was diagnosed with a kidney disease in 2000. He had a kidney transplant last December.

This year, he's averaging 10.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, but has missed the last three contests with a series of minor ailments and didn't accompany the team on the road.

Some reports on Friday suggested Mourning may never join the Raptors.

Over the last several weeks, Mourning has expressed a desire to be traded, but he'd told the Nets he wanted to be moved to a contending team. It's uncertain how he'll react to the trade to the struggling Raptors, who have an 8-17 record on the young season.

Eric Williams, 32, is an 11-year journeyman who is joining his fifth NBA team. The six-foot-eight-inch forward is averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this season.

Williams had been given a ton of playing time with the departures of free agents Kerry Kittles and Kenyon Martin in the off-season.

Aaron Williams, 33, is leaving the Nets after 4 ½ seasons. He's struggled this year, averaging less than two points per game.

All three have been described as tough and hard-working – the kind of players Mitchell wants to act as role models for emerging star Bosh.

In Carter, the Nets get one of the most spectacular players in the game, when healthy. He will team with Jason Kidd to give New Jersey one of the most explosive backcourts in the NBA.

The Raptors', ironically, on Sunday will play against New Jersey in Toronto. But Raptor fans won't get a chance to see the superstar face his former team. Carter's injury has sidelined him and he won't play in the game.