Vince Carter News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

February 10

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Vince Carter continues to prove that he was a solid offseason acquisition for the Dallas Mavericks. In Wednesday's 105-95 win at Denver, Carter scored 17 points, collected eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, had two steals and a blocked shot in a superb all-around effort against the Nuggets. "Vince Carter was a problem for them,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "He's a Hall of Fame caliber player. "He still has something left in his tank to help us win games. He played a central role in this game.''"

Mavericks would be in serious trouble without Vince Carter

February 10

Dallas Morning News

columnist Rick Gosselin

"Fraley: I still think it's Odom, but I have to give Carter credit. He doesn't have the explosiveness that he had earlier in his career, but he's changed himself as a player and what he brings to the table is certainly different than what he brough years ago. It's impressive. Gosselin: I thought he was done. We've seen flashes of greatness from him, and considering he was never going to carry this team, he's still had some big games for the team. Carter is having the kind of season we expected Odom to have, and Odom has been a non-factor. Without Vince Carter this team would be in trouble."

Vince Carter's return timely with Jason Kidd going down

January 29

Dallas Morning News

"Vince Carter was ready to play. He just didn't expect to have to be that ready to play. He got called into the Utah game with barely two minutes gone. Jason Kidd's calf injury forced Carter, who had missed the previous five games with a sprained left foot, into early action. "They called me in a little earlier than I expected, but I felt good," Carter said. "I put a lot of work in trying to make sure my conditioning was somewhat decent. I felt like a kid in a candy store.""

Vince Carter practices, nearing return

January 27

Dallas Morning News

"Vince Carter turned 35 on Thursday. He also returned to practice after missing five games with a sprained left foot. Carter did not rule out playing Friday night against Utah. Officially, he is listed as questionable. After several days of what he felt was "slow healing," Carter said he was pleasantly surprised Thursday by his ability to plant, cut and jump during some contact scrimmaging."

Vince Carter's injury not serious; he has mild sprain of left foot

January 20

Dallas Morning News

"The news Thursday was good regarding Vince Carter's sprained left foot. Tests and Carter's meeting with team physician Dr. T.O. Souryal revealed a mild sprain. Carter will not join the team on this trip, and coach Rick Carlisle said, "it's not serious, but that it's going to take a little bit of time. We'll evaluate it when we get back.""

No timetable for injured Vince Carter's return

January 19

Dallas Morning News

"Vince Carter returned to Dallas on Wednesday and is scheduled to see Mavericks' physician Dr. T.O. Souryal on Thursday. Carter suffered a sprained left foot on the last play of Monday's 73-70 loss to the Lakers. Other than being out for the rest of the road trip, there is no timetable for Carter's return, pending the outcome of further exams. The 6-6 guard was walking with the use of crutches after Monday's game."

Vince Carter not expected to play vs. Clippers

January 18

Dallas Morning News

"Vince Carter will likely miss Wednesday's game at the Los Angeles Clippers and his status moving forward will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Carter was not at the Mavericks' practice Tuesday afternoon at LA Southwest College. He did remain in Los Angeles, however, rather than returning to Dallas. "He's doing a little better today, but other than that, he's not expected to play tomorrow,'' coach Rick Carlisle said."

Mavericks' Vince Carter injures foot on final play of game; X-rays show no breaks

January 17

Dallas Morning News

"Vince Carter was hobbling around on crutches in the postgame locker room Monday after taking a bad step on the final play of the Mavericks' 73-70. Carter said he did not come down on anybody's foot. He simply "stepped wrong.'' "I was going right after I caught it and heard it pop,'' Carter said. "But it's not broken.''"

Carter ready to climb learning curve with Mavericks

December 18

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Knee tendinitis kept Vince Carter out of a practice early last week, mostly as a precautionary measure. The eight-time NBA All-Star hasn't had any issues since. He took part in Friday night's intrasquad Dallas Mavericks scrimmage and was back on the practice floor Saturday morning. "I'm fine. I just needed a day," Carter said. "It was one of those weird things for me because you go pretty much all summer working and not taking days off. It was just a little overuse. I took that day and did some strengthening and some ice and the next day, it was gone. So I feel great.""

Good news for Mavericks fans: Vince Carter (knee) practices Thursday night

December 16

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks overcame one small speed bump on their fast track to the season opener. Vince Carter practiced Thursday night. Dallas' quest to acclimate their three new players in the lineup has been slowed by Carter's knee tendinitis. Although coach Rick Carlisle is confident the injury is not serious, Carter has had only one full practice. Any delay is significant because the Mavericks begin defense of their NBA title against the Miami Heat on Christmas Day, and there's only nine shopping days left. Carter, 34, has been observing practices since before his deal with the Mavericks became official. But until Thursday night, the swingman had not experienced live action with the team."

Carter felt Mavs were the perfect fit

December 14

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Even before Vince Carter cleared waivers earlier this week after he was released by the Phoenix Suns, he had his sights set on joining the Dallas Mavericks. Why? "The way they play basketball, the way I play, my mentality, what I'm looking to accomplish,'' Carter said. "You want to go to a team where everybody can jell together, particularly at the beginning. "And I feel like the way they play really fits me.'' Carter remembers watching the Mavs run through the playoff murder's row of Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City and Miami en route to winning their first NBA title, and he walked away thoroughly impressed. "They had a wonderful season where they were able to overcome the"

Vince Carter close to joining the Mavs

December 10

Dallas Morning News

"It appears the Mavericks are close to forming a reunion of the Vince Carter-Jason Kidd tag team. In the wake of losing Tyson Chandler and Caron Butler, the Mavericks are in need of rotation depth and Carter -- waived by the Phoenix Suns on Friday -- would seem to fit the bill perfectly. A source said the talks have gotten serious and that the man they used to call Vinsanity could be on his way to the Mavericks. Carter was scheduled to make $18 million this season, but when the Suns waived him, it reduced their financial obligation to $4 million. This would not be an amnesty provision, meaning teams under the salary cap do not get first crack at Carter. Rather, the Mavericks would be able"

Sources: Suns to waive Vince Carter

December 5

ESPN.com

"Vince Carter isn't a free agent yet, but sources close to the situation say the eight-time All-Star will be thrust onto the open market shortly after the end of the lockout. Based on an amendment in his contract obtained by ESPN.com, Carter must be waived by the Phoenix Suns within 72 hours of the official start of free agency or his $18 million salary for the 2011-12 season becomes fully guaranteed. The Suns, sources said, have already decided to waive Carter within that window."

With future uncertain, Vince anxious for lockout to end

July 21

Daytona Beach News-Journal

"Talk about your unsettled situations. Surrounding himself with kids at his annual weeklong basketball camp is the only normal thing about this summer for Vince Carter, who has reached a stage where you can only throw your hands in the air and say, "Who knows?" The NBA is in lockout mode -- no team activities whatsoever until a new collective bargaining agreement is hatched. If and when that happens (most suspect later rather than sooner), Carter will have to wait and see if the Phoenix Suns care to retain his services (the insiders say that's questionable, at best). And by the way, he's 34, which, by NBA standards means he should be wearing Velcro sneakers and spying early-bird specials."

How would 'Vinsanity' look in Silver and Black?

June 21

San Antonio Express-News

"Vince Carter's days appear numbered with the Phoenix Suns. He'll likely be playing for another team when the lockout ends and basketball resumes next season. The Arizona Republic reports that Phoenix is expected to buy out Carter's remaining year for $4 million instead of trying to move his final year on another team. Carter then will be a free agent in a dramatically different NBA free agency landscape following the restructuring of the collective bargaining agreement, but still should get an offer from some team. How about the Spurs? Carter turned 34 in January and likely is pining for a shot at playing for a championship team. He has never played on a team that has advanced past the"

Vince Carter would look good in an Orlando Magic uniform now

June 21

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter often was a target for Orlando Magic fans, but even his most vocal detractors would have to admit that Carter would be valuable to the team right now as a trade chip. Only $4 million of Carter's $18 million salary for the 2011-12 season is guaranteed through the end of this month. As The Arizona Republic's Paul Coro reports, the Phoenix Suns are expected to buy out Carter in the next few days rather than trade him and be forced to pay the salary of an incoming player or players. But the Magic could have tried to deal Carter this month to a team that is looking to shed a salary or two. In December, the Magic traded Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, their 2011 first-round"

Vince Carter would look good in an Orlando Magic uniform now

June 20

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter often was a target for Orlando Magic fans, but even his most vocal detractors would have to admit that Carter would be valuable to the team right now as a trade chip. Only $4 million of Carter's $18 million salary for the 2011-12 season is guaranteed through the end of this month. As The Arizona Republic's Paul Coro reports, the Phoenix Suns are expected to buy out Carter in the next few days rather than trade him and be forced to pay the salary of an incoming player or players. But the Magic could have tried to deal Carter this month to a team that is looking to shed a salary or two. In December, the Magic traded Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, their 2011 first-round"

The Circle of Stupidity is complete: Suns expected to buy out Vince Carter

June 20

Pro Basketball Talk

"This is like some crazy train of poor decision making and it just jumps from car to car to car. Let me try and trace this back for you. Hedo Turkoglu looks awesome in the 2009 NBA playoffs, helping the Orlando Magic make it all the way to the NBA Finals. He rebounds, runs point forward, hits threes, the works. It's a bright, bright, sun-shiny free agency day for Turkolu when he hits the open market that summer. The Magic decide to let him go by the wayside, instead opting to take on Vince Carter and his ridiculous contract which pays him $16 million in 2009-2010, largely to miss games with minor injuries, miss free throws and not be able to carry a team at all like he did back when he"

Suns will likely buy out Vince Carter's contract for $4 million

June 20

Arizona Republic

"When it comes to the Suns' draft situation for Thursday night, it is easier to address what won't happen: They won't end the night without a draft choice. They won't trade Vince Carter's contract, opting instead to buy him out for $4 million in the coming days. They probably won't use one of their trade exceptions to take on extra payroll, which could compromise flexibility expected in 2012. They surely are not pushing to trade center Marcin Gortat to Minnesota, a rumor that got so out of hand that Gortat received a call to assure him it was not happening. There is a strong possibility that the Suns will keep their No. 13 overall pick and choose from a group of decent power forwards"

Vince Carter poised to be Florida's No. 1 NBA career scorer

April 8

Orlando Sentinel

"Look for Daytona Beach Mainland grad Vince Carter to become the all-time leading NBA scorer from a Florida high school when his Phoenix Suns play at New Orleans on Friday night. He needs eight points to surpass a standard set by Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson product Mitch Richmond. Carter, who started the season with Orlando, has 20,491 regular season points in 13 NBA seasons, an average of 22.2 per game. Richmond scored 20,497 in 14 NBA seasons (1988-2002). Those numbers don't count playoff points. Carter would already be the leader if you add in his 1,303 playoff points. Richmond had 449. Carter, a seven-time all-star game participant, is averaging 13.8 points for Phoenix and 14.2"

Vince is a shadow of his former self

March 24

Toronto Sun

"Vince Carter entered the NBA's stage in the shadows of a work stoppage. He'll soon enter free agency under the same labour cloud. In 1998, the Raptors became relevant with Carter as the cornerstone piece once the NBA and its player' union struck a deal that featured a 30-game schedule. Carter has now become borderline irrelevant, his game almost as messed up as the system that runs the business of basketball. When he becomes a free agent, regardless of the system that's in place, it's anyone's guess where Carter ends up playing. His scoring at a career low, his three-point shooting at a career low, Carter may be best suited as a role player coming off the bench next season."

Vince Carter emphasizes winning over scoring

March 10

Arizona Republic

"Vince Carter says he has felt at home from Day 1 since his trade to the Suns in December. And though his high-flying days might be behind him, his maturity is what makes him a valuable cog for the Suns as they try to gain a spot in the playoffs. He has had strong back-to-back games, with 29 and 32 points, and was a dominant force in Wednesday's 113-110 over Houston: 39 minutes on the court and 5 of 7 from 3-point range as part of a 13-for-17 effort from the floor. But Carter, who is averaging 14.7 points and 2.2 assists per game, is not looking at numbers. "I felt comfortable from the beginning, so I don't judge my success off points," he said. "I leave that for everybody else. As long as"

An aging Carter working harder

February 26

Toronto Sun

"The inevitable has happened to the man formerly known as Air Canada. Age and a suspect work ethic in his younger days have caught up to Vince Carter. The man who once exceeded even the aerial exploits of star rookie Blake Griffin no longer levitates on a nightly basis. What he does do - cynics would say out of self-preservation since most of his contract for next year is unguaranteed - is work harder than he ever has in his NBA career. "To me, the greatest thing about Vince is that he's trying like crazy. He comes in early," said Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry to a bunch of stunned Toronto scribes prior to Friday's game against the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre. "When you're a guy that"

Raptors, once again, lose to Vince's team

February 26

Toronto Star

"It was as if a lone voice was speaking for an entire fan base, as the heckler got at Vince Carter during an inbounds play in the third quarter of Friday's Suns-Raptors game at the Air Canada Centre. "Retire, Carter!" he yelled, loudly enough that the object of the scorn could hear him. With a turn of the head, a bit of a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, the still-unpopular Carter gave as good as he got. "Not yet," he said. Some day Carter will be gone and unable to torture the fans that lionized him for most of his tenure in Toronto — but that day has not yet arrived, and the player once know as Air Canada gave it to his old team once again. Scoring 17 points and setting the"

Vince Carter's unfulfilled promise

February 25

Toronto Star

columnist Dave Feschuk

"It'll be 10 years ago in May that the Raptors came within a 20-foot jumper of the Eastern Conference final, and perhaps you'll recall the scene. Dell Curry threw the inbounds pass. Charles Oakley set the screen. Vince Carter, who caught Curry's feed in the left corner with two seconds left in that memorable Game 7 in Philadelphia, pump-faked, squared and let fly. Then he waited a long beat to see where fate's arc would take him. "I remember the play like it was yesterday," Curry was saying this week. "Vince had more time than he thought. He had a good pump fake, got (Tyrone Hill) off his feet. But I thought he rushed it just a little bit . . . " You know too well how it turned out, how the"

Vince Carter looks to do more

February 15

Arizona Republic

"Since taking over as coach of the Suns, Alvin Gentry has made clear that he is going to stick with any player who happens to have a hot hand in a game, whether it's one of the team's stars or a reserve. For the past two games, that player hasn't been Vince Carter in the fourth quarter. Carter has accumulated a career low for minutes played in consecutive games - a total of 35. He watched from the bench as the good Suns buckled down in the fourth quarter to win in Utah against the Jazz, who visit US Airways Center tonight. And he sat in the final period Sunday as the bad Suns crumpled in the fourth quarter at home in a costly loss to the Kings. Like the two faces of the Suns, Carter has"

Vince Carter still plans to be 'go-to' guy

January 26

Arizona Republic

"Vince Carter said he tried to be a 23-year-old when he "tweaked" his sore left knee on a dunk 2 1/2 minutes into Monday night's loss at Philadelphia, his only score of the game. He turns 33 Wednesday, and that 23-year-old All-Star phenom is not coming back. The Suns just want back the scoring guard they had until the past four games. The Suns wanted Carter to become their top scorer and take at least 15 shots per game. Instead, Carter just had the lowest-scoring four-game stretch of his 13-year career with 7.5 points per game. He averaged 18.9 in his first 10 Suns games. "I plan on being that," Carter said of being a go-to scorer, like when he started the trip with 29 points at New York."

Suns guard Vince Carter producing as comfort increases

January 18

Arizona Republic

"Most players come into the Phoenix Suns talking about what Steve Nash can do for them. Vince Carter wants to help Nash too. And he is, becoming the go-to scorer the Suns need to relieve the burden of where Nash would find offense in this Suns remix. With each game, Carter's comfort and production grows. On Monday, Carter had a 29-point, 12-rebound game that was his best Suns scoring effort for the second consecutive game. In the Suns' 129-121 win at Madison Square Garden, Carter also passed the 20,000-point career scoring mark to become the 37th player in NBA history to do so. "My shot was falling," Carter said. "I just wanted to be aggressive. They beat us pretty good the first time."

Vince Carter stars in Suns win over Knicks, says Carmelo Anthony would find 'excitement' with Nets

January 18

New York Daily News

"Vince Carter says he has little idea what Carmelo Anthony wants in a team, and he knows even less about the new-look Nets these days. But the former New Jersey star knows this much: If 'Melo wants to play in an exhilarating atmosphere, the Nets deserve a shot. "I don't know what he's looking for," Carter said. "But with this team moving to Brooklyn, the excitement is there. It was just a great place to play." For Carter, the metropolitan area still is. The 33-year-old proved that much Monday, leading his new team, the Phoenix Suns, to a 129-121 victory over the Knicks at the Garden. Carter scored a season-high 29 points - including the 20,000th point of his career. "My shot was falling,""

Vince Carter passes 20,000-point career scoring mark

January 18

Arizona Republic

"Most players come into the Phoenix Suns talking about what Steve Nash can do for them. Vince Carter wants to help Nash too. And he is, becoming the go-to scorer the Suns need to relieve the burden of where Nash would find offense in this Suns remix. With each game, Carter's comfort and production grows. On Monday, Carter had a 29-point, 12-rebound game that was his best Suns scoring effort for the second consecutive game. In the Suns' 129-121 win at Madison Square Garden, Carter also passed the 20,000-point career scoring mark to become the 37th player in NBA history to do so. "My shot was falling," Carter said. "I just wanted to be aggressive. They beat us pretty good the first time."

Suns need Vince Carter to score like Jason Richardson

January 17

Arizona Republic

"Vince Carter has not even played three weeks for the Suns. With that, it is already clear he needs to be a leading scorer or the Suns' season and his stay in Phoenix will last just three more months. The Suns went 49-13 when Carter's shooting-guard predecessor, Jason Richardson, scored at least 20 in a game for Phoenix. Now that they swapped places, Carter is resuming the leading-scorer role he held for most of his career. "I don't have a problem with that," Carter said. "That's a role I accept. I've been here before. Everybody looks at scoring. I just feel like being productive and being aggressive and being a guy that they can feel like they can put the ball in my hands late in games to"

Vince Carter makes debut for Suns in loss to 76ers

December 30

Arizona Republic

"It has been a given for more than six years that the Suns were better than most NBA teams. That no longer is the case after they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday and dropped a season-worst fourth consecutive game Wednesday by falling 123-110 to the Philadelphia 76ers at US Airways Center. It is the Suns' longest losing streak since January, but it is hard to see another 30-10 season finish following like it did then. The Suns (13-17) are so bad defensively that they allowed the 76ers to score 27 more than their season average. The 76ers were a 4-13 road team that had not won in the 11 previous times it allowed 100 points. The 76ers shot 61 percent in the first half and put six"

Vince close to making Suns debut

December 27

NBA.com

"Vince Carter is probably no more than a week away from making his Suns debut. "He's close," Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry said Sunday. "Probably within the week, I would think. Just not feeling quite there, but a lot closer than he was." Carter is dealing with a quad tendon strain and hasn't played since Dec. 14. The Suns traded for Carter, along with Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus, on Dec. 14 from Orlando. Gentry said speculation of Carter needing surgery was a "worst-case scenario.""

Vince Carter has knee swelling, hasn't decided between rest or surgery

December 22

Arizona Republic

"Whether Vince Carter has knee surgery or not, the new Suns guard appears he is not ready to play Thursday against Miami. Carter was learning plays and teammates at US Airways Center on Tuesday, a day the Suns practiced for the new guys. Carter was slated to see a doctor later about his left knee. He said swelling has returned after he injured it and had "excruciating" pain Nov. 22, causing him to miss the ensuing three games. "It still bothered me," Carter said. "I just tried to keep playing, being hard-headed and not listening to your body. There's been some swelling. The day of the trade is when I told them (Orlando) I wanted to get a MRI." If Carter has the knee scoped, he could miss up"

Vince Carter considers arthroscopic knee surgery, could miss a month

December 21

Arizona Republic

"The Suns showed why they traded for center Marcin Gortat on Saturday night, handing the best team in the league 17 extra chances to score on offensive rebounds and losing 118-110 at San Antonio largely because of it. But for a second consecutive night, the Suns showed they might be fine at the wing position with Jason Richardson gone and Vince Carter and Mickael Pietrus not in uniform yet. The stellar play of Grant Hill, Jared Dudley and Josh Childress is all the more important with the Suns and Carter considering arthroscopic surgery for Carter's troublesome left knee that could put him out for up to a month."

Suns optimistic that three newcomers will fit in

December 20

Arizona Republic

"The Suns are going to miss Jason Richardson. They are happy Earl Clark might have a better opportunity. They are relieved that they don't have to figure out how to make Hedo Turkoglu fit in. But after Saturday's goodbyes, the Suns are looking ahead to how their in-season makeover will come out once Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus join the team after Saturday's six-player trade with Orlando. While the ex-Suns are going to play Monday, the new Suns trio is taking physicals in Phoenix on the same day and is not expected to travel to San Antonio for Monday's game. They would debut Thursday at home against Miami. "I'm optimistic that it can help us short- and long-term," Suns"

Former Raptors on the move again

December 19

Toronto Sun

"All that was missing was a Chris Bosh trade. An otherwise quiet day in NBA circles, certainly quiet on the Toronto front, got loud quickly Saturday afternoon when confirmation of a trade that had been percolating for 24 hours finally came to fruition. The fact that it involved two of the most hated ex-Raptors still in the league made it all the more interesting locally. Leaving Phoenix after a stay of just 25 game following his one-season flop in Toronto, was none other than Hedo Turkoglu. The "Turkish Tease" who has never seen enough "ball" since leaving Orlando is headed back to the Magic, while another former Raptor, who left Toronto a lot less happy with him than when he showed up, in"

Magic ship out Carter and Lewis, acquire Arenas, Turkoglu and Richardson

December 19

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic haven't just tweaked their roster. They've overhauled it. The slumping Magic on Saturday completed two blockbuster trades that carry significant risk but have the potential to markedly upgrade their sputtering offense. In the first trade, Orlando acquired former Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu, swingman Jason Richardson and forward Earl Clark from the Phoenix Suns for guard Vince Carter, center Marcin Gortat, swingman Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first-round pick and cash. In the second deal, the Magic obtained talented but controversial guard Gilbert Arenas from the Washington Wizards for forward Rashard Lewis. "I thought we needed scoring and we needed a little bit more punch,""

Ted Leonsis on Arenas trade rumor: "It isn't true"

December 2

Washington Post

"Wizards owner Ted Leonsis shot down an Internet rumor on Wednesday that the team has engaged in discussions with the Orlando Magic about a possible trade involving Gilbert Arenas. Leonsis also hoped to quell the perception that the team is looking to move the three-time all-star. Leonsis has been adamant that the Wizards have no plans to move Arenas, saying last month that "Gilbert is not going anywhere." In his e-mail, Leonsis said that he "really likes and respects" Arenas and "there are no trade discussions going on." "The team is trying to rebuild and Gilbert is one of the leaders on the team," Leonsis wrote. "Gilbert is the best player on the team right now." The Magic blog Orlando"

Vince Carter expects to return Tuesday vs. Pistons

November 30

Orlando Sentinel

"Orlando Magic guard Vince Carter practiced in full on Monday and expects to play Tuesday night against the visiting Detroit Pistons. Carter, 33, has missed the last three games with a sprained left knee. He injured the knee against the Spurs last Monday. There's still a little bit of soreness, he said, but it didn't hurt enough to keep him out of any drills at practice. A private workout on Sunday was the turning point. While the team had a day off, Carter worked with an assistant coach at the team's facility to see if the knee would be OK to practice on Monday. He said it felt much better on Sunday than it did Saturday, and it felt even better on Monday. "I wanted to push the timetable as"

Vince Carter won't play limited minutes when he returns

November 30

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter often jokingly refers to himself as "the old man," as he's the eldest player on a veteran but still relatively youthful Magic squad. He's very serious about not using his age as an excuse, though, as he wants to play full starter minutes and play as many minutes as possible. But as his age continues to climb, the idea of limiting his playing time has come up more than once. The playoffs are what's important, so maybe he should take it somewhat easy till then? No way. "Stan's not going for that," Vince Carter joked, before adding that he wouldn't want that either. "I put more work in this summer making sure I'm prepared to play regardless," said Carter, 33. "I tried not to use"

Vince Carter nearing return to lineup

November 29

Orlando Sentinel

(scroll down)

"Perhaps Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick just needed extra playing time. He has flourished ever since Vince Carter suffered a left-knee injury last Monday in San Antonio. In three starts since, Redick has made just over 46 percent of his shot attempts and helped improve the team's ball movement on offense. "Being out there when you're in the flow of the game, you're going to get shots," Redick said. "And you're going to maybe get two or three shots in a five- or six-minute stretch as opposed to where you go in for a six- or eight-minute run and you have to almost really look for [shots quickly]." Redick has looked more at ease on the court recently, and he has regained his accuracy on his"

Vince Carter, John Wall sit out Magic-Wizards game

November 28

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter shot baskets on the Verizon Center court late Saturday afternoon, but he was declared inactive for the Orlando Magic's game against the Washington Wizards. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy learned that Carter would be unavailable at 5:55 p.m., just five minutes before Van Gundy had to turn in his active roster for the game. Carter has missed Orlando's last three games because of a sprained left knee. J.J. Redick replaced Carter in the Magic's starting lineup."

Vince Carter will not play against the Cavaliers tonight

November 26

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter will not play for the Orlando Magic when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 tonight at Amway Center, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said after his team completed its shootaround moments ago. J.J. Redick will start in Carter's place. Carter injured his left knee on Monday and did not play in the Magic's 104-95 victory Wednesday over the Miami Heat. Redick started that game and scored 20 points, collected four rebounds and dished out four assists. Cavaliers coach Byron Scott didn't know whether Carter would be able to play before the Cavs started their shootaround this morning at Amway Center. But I did ask Scott how the Magic's offense would be different without Carter if"

Vince Carter a gametime decision for Heat game

November 24

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter received some welcome news on the injury front Tuesday. An MRI on his injured left knee revealed no significant structural damage, an Orlando Magic spokesman said. Carter might play when the Magic host the Miami Heat on Wednesday. He will be a gametime decision. The 33-year-old shooting guard sustained the injury Monday, midway through the fourth quarter of the Magic's 106-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Carter made a gorgeous spin move and converted a layup on the play, but he landed awkwardly on his left foot. He didn't return to the game. "When I made the spin move and went up for the layup, as I landed, I just felt some sharp pain go through my knee, under the kneecap"

Vince Carter injures knee and does not return

November 23

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic find themselves in a familiar position. They're waiting to see how long, if at all, they'll be without injured Vince Carter. Carter hurt his left knee after he made a great spin move and layup to cut the San Antonio Spurs' lead over the Orlando Magic to 86-85 with 5:42 remaining. Carter landed awkwardly and did not return to the game. Team officials said Carter has a left-knee sprain and will be reevaluated Tuesday in Orlando. "When I made the spin move and went up for the layup, as I landed, I just felt some sharp pain go through my knee, under the kneecap more so than anything," he told the Orlando Sentinel after the game. "I just wasn't sure. I just wanted to go to the"

No advice for Bosh from Vince

November 13

Toronto Sun

"Vince Carter wasn't about to play along. Following the morning shootaround, Carter walked out of the team locker room with a couple of take-out containers containing his lunch, but lunch was going to have to wait. First there was the question of how he felt about the fact that he may have been recently supplanted as most hated man in Toronto basketball circles by a more recent ex-Raptor playing down the road in Miami these days. "Cool," Carter said. "It doesn't matter. That's the way sports is." Asked if he would be able to give Chris Bosh (the guy who has likely pushed him down the ladder) any advice when he headed back to Toronto for the first time (Feb. 16), Carter had another one-word"

Orlando Magic's Vince Carter doesn't slip up against Hawks

November 9

Orlando Sentinel

"Vince Carter was back out there against the Hawks on Monday night, although he didn't appear to be watching where he stepped on the Amway Center floor. The Magic have a crack mop-up crew, I'm told, and it's always on the look-out for treacherous wet spots. "They'll be on red alert," laughed longtime team operations manager Rodney "Sid" Powell. Their senses were heightened after what happened to Carter on Saturday night at Timer Warner Wet 'n Wild Arena, home of the Charlotte Bobcats. He took a nasty spill after slipping, his legs awkwardly splaying from under him as if he were on an ice rink. He nearly did the splits, practically sawed in half, truly looking like "Half-Man, Half Amazing.""

Orlando Magic defeat the Atlanta Hawks 93-89 on big game by Vince Carter

November 9

Orlando Sentinel

"Orlando Magic executives envisioned this exact scenario when they traded for Vince Carter almost a year and a half ago. They foresaw Carter with the ball, the seconds ticking off the game clock, and his team desperately needing a score to ensure a win. That vision came true Monday night. Just two days removed from a potentially disastrous fall on a wet court in Charlotte, Carter returned to Amway Center and helped the Magic hold off the Atlanta Hawks 93-89. He made a pair of driving layups late in the fourth quarter, when his team needed him most. "It never gets old, believe me," Carter said afterward, smiling. The Hawks, who had lost 10 of their last 11 regular-season and postseason games"