Vince Carter

Kings Notes: Carter, Labissiere, Veterans, Fox

December 30th, 2017 at 7:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Forty-year-old Vince Carter is sticking to his plan to play one more season after this one, he tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Carter had his best game since joining the Kings with 24 points Wednesday against the Cavaliers, the most points scored by someone 40 or older in less than 30 minutes since 1988.

The performance stood out for Carter, who is playing less than 15 minutes a night after leaving a playoff team in Memphis to sign with Sacramento. He understands that he doesn’t fit well with a rebuilding organization and isn’t surprised to hear his name mentioned in trade rumors.

“It’s a business. … I just have to do my job for what it says on the front of my jersey,” Carter said. “I kind of go from there. I am still going to be me. I am still going to play my best game within the confines of what the coach wants and asks from me. You’ll stress yourself out worrying about what is being said. There are always going to be rumors out there. That’s just how it goes in the league and it’s more prevalent now, whether it’s a superstar, two-way player or you’re a guy that has been around five years.”

There’s more news out of Sacramento:

Coach Dave Joerger is ignoring criticism of the way he has juggled the lineup as he searches for the right combinations, relays Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Joerger has used 14 starting lineups in 35 games and occasionally makes changes right before tip-off. Among the players affected is Skal Labissiere, who sat out three straight games before starting Friday night. The second-year power forward scored 10 points in the first quarter, but didn’t re-enter the game until the second half and played just 16 minutes total.
Of the Kings’ veterans, Zach Randolph and George Hill are most likely to remain with the team next season, Jones writes in a question-and-answer column. Both players signed as free agents over the summer and have contracts that run though the end of 2018/19. Randolph will make nearly $11.7MM next season before heading into free agency, while Hill will earn $19MM with a non-guaranteed $18MM for the following season. Jones expects Garrett Temple and Kosta Koufos to exercise their player options and try to join a contender, while Carter’s contract expires after this season.
Rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox, out since December 14 with a partial tear in his right quadriceps muscle, was a limited participant in practice today, tweets Sean Cunningham of KXTV in Sacramento. Fox was shooting and running at full speed, but is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game.

Pacific Notes: Carter, Kings, Brown, Warriors, Clippers

December 28th, 2017 at 11:27am CST by marksuleymanov

Vince Carter is 40 years old and in his 20th NBA season but he can still evoke memories of the explosive player who was once regarded as one of the NBA’s best. Carter pitched in a season-high 24 points in the Kings‘ win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday and LeBron James had a raving review, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes.

“He made some bombs,” James said. “He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason, let’s not take that for granted. Once he got going, we couldn’t slow him down.”

There have been talks that Sacramento should distribute Carter’s minutes to younger players as the team rebuilds. However, Carter is only averaging a career-low 14.6 minutes per game to go along with 3.9 PPG. His job is no longer to be the offensive leader, but just a leader. The longtime Raptor and Nets has embraced the role.

“It’s not really about the points, it’s making a difference for our team in a positive matter,” Carter said. “… I just want to assess myself as, did I help our team or the second unit? Did we close a deficit or extend a lead in our time in the game? That’s usually how you get minutes or earn more minutes and opportunities. That’s just my approach.”

Check out other news from the Pacific Division below:

In a separate article, Jason Jones from the Sacramento Bee writes that after a recent loss to the Spurs, the Kings’ coaching staff and players view the Spurs’ model as their blueprint for success. The Spurs have been a contender for the past two decades, whereas the Kings have not sniffed the postseason since 2007.
In an in-depth and insightful feature (via USA TODAY Sports), assistant coach Mike Brown‘s contributions to the Warriors over the last three seasons are highlighted. Brown has spoken glowingly of the Golden State organization and the love has been reciprocated from head coach Steve Kerr – who Brown filled in for last season — and the players.
Speaking of the Warriors, the team’s current foundation is currently held together by having four All-Star talents leading the team. However, the key to keeping that foundation intact may rest with the team’s new arena that is currently being built, Sam Amick of USA TODAY Sports writes.
Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register looks at the Clippers’ uncertain future and whether or not the team is likely to stay in Los Angeles.

Vince Carter On Return To Raptors: ‘It Will Happen’

December 17th, 2017 at 7:11pm CST by Austin Kent

According to the former superstar himself, Vince Carter could end up back with the Raptors before his career is done, Josh Lewenberg of TSN tweets. Even if it simply comes in the form of a ceremonial contract.

“It’ll happen, I’m sure. Somehow,” Carter said.

While there have been attempts to reunite the greybeard swingman to his former franchise in the past, nothing has come to fruition. Perhaps more probable than Carter signing a typical contract with the team though, is the two parties inking a one-day deal so that he can formally retired with the franchise like Paul Pierce and Jason Maxiell did over the summer with the Celtics and Pistons, respectively.

“It’s supposed to happen I think. I can say that now,” Carter added.

While Carter’s tenure with the Raptors may have ended under different circumstances than many other stars who left their original teams, the city seems to have generally embraced their long-lost perennial All-Star after years of raucous booing any time he set foot in the Air Canada Centre.

In parts of seven seasons with the Raptors, Carter averaged 23.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, guiding the team as far as the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2001 before forcing his way out of town and eventually to the Nets.

These days the 20-year vet plays more of a leadership role than a tangible one but still sees the court, having signed on with the Kings to help develop a young core. That was by design considering that he’s unwilling to give up the routine of playing consistently at this point.

“I still want to play, I still want to compete, I still want to get out on the floor,” Carter told the media after Sacramento’s Sunday afternoon tilt in Toronto. “That’s not guaranteed, obviously on some of those elite teams and I’m just not ready for that.”

The Raptors, presumably, would qualify as one of those elite teams, too busy actively competing in the Eastern Conference to necessarily allot guaranteed playing time to a veteran whose best days are in the rearview mirror.

If, or perhaps when, that day comes though and Carter is ready serve as more of a symbolic asset than an actual one, the man who helped grow the popularity of basketball in Canada could end up back where his career began in 1998.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Vinsanity, Hayward

December 17th, 2017 at 6:26pm CST by Austin Kent

While they may not be touted as the much anticipated products of The Process, NBA veterans like J.J. Redick, Jerryd Bayless and Amir Johnson have had a major impact on the Sixers, Ian Begley of ESPN writes.

Unlike token veterans who the Sixers have employed in the past like Jason Richardson and Elton Brand, both established players in the twilight of their careers, players like Redick, Bayless and Johnson still suit up and play for the squad every night.

“To now have players sweating on the court that can add the leadership in real time, instead of something static in a video room — that is priceless,” head coach Brett Brown said. “I think the abundance we have this year and the fact that they play, the combination is powerful, and I appreciate [Sixers president and general manager] Bryan Colangelo helping me, helping us design the team with that in mind.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Kings squared off against the Raptors in what could be Vince Carter‘s last game in Toronto. Doug Smith of the Toronto Star wrote about the 40-year-old veteran’s lasting legacy.
There’s no indication that he necessarily will but Gordon Hayward is open to the idea of returning this season, Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press writes. The Celtics forward is still recovering from a broken ankle suffered on opening day but has recently shed his walking boot.
An injury to Tim Hardaway Jr. has allowed Ron Baker to slide back into the Knicks rotation and start making the impact that he became famous for as a rookie. Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Ron Burgundy is back.

Kings Notes: Hill, Randolph, G League, Draft

December 9th, 2017 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

George Hill becomes eligible to be traded in six days, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee expects rumors involving the Kings point guard to start emerging soon. Like most players who signed contracts over the offseason, Hill can be traded beginning December 15. He probably envisioned a larger role when he inked a three-year, $57MM deal with Sacramento, as he is getting just 25.5 minutes per night, even though he has started all 23 games that he has played.

Hill’s playing time might diminish even further if he stays with the Kings. First-round pick De’Aaron Fox is Sacramento’s point guard of the future and the organization views him as a developing star. Second-round pick and fellow point guard Frank Mason has been a pleasant surprise, leaving Hill to play off the ball more often. His numbers are down across the board after averaging 16.9 points for the Jazz next season, and Jones suggests a trade would be best for both Hill and the Kings.

There’s more out of Sacramento:

Zach Randolph, another veteran offseason free agent addition, has developed into the Kings’ most consistent player, Jones writes in the same piece. Coach Dave Joerger doesn’t believe in using young players just for development purposes, so Randolph has pushed rookie forward Justin Jackson and second-year forward Skal Labissiere to the bench. Joerger’s policy is to reward production with playing time, and Randolph has earned his minutes by averaging 15.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per night.
The Kings made the right decision to send Jackson, Labissiere and Malachi Richardson to the G League this week, Jones contends in a separate story. Sacramento doesn’t have enough playing time to devote to the nine first- or second-year players on its roster. Fox and Mason are joined by rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic in the rotation, and Joerger is reluctant to use too many young players at the same time. “It’s just generally not great practice for us if we put at least four young guys on the floor together,” he said. “It can get ugly.”
The Kings’ focus has changed since adding free agents Hill, Randolph and Vince Carter over the summer, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Those signings were made by Scott Perry, who has since left the organization to become GM of the Knicks. The new regime reportedly told its three free agent additions and fellow veteran Garrett Temple that the emphasis is now on acquiring a top five pick in next year’s draft rather than contending for the playoffs.

Pacific Notes: Carter, Randle, Jackson

December 3rd, 2017 at 9:00pm CST by Austin Kent

While 40-year-old veteran Vince Carter was brought to a rebuilding Kings team to provide experience and leadership, he was signed as a player and not a coach for a reason, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes.

That reason, Carter and Kings head coach Dave Joerger agree, is to support the development of the team’s young players on and off the court. Although Carter did miss a handful of games with kidney stones last month, his goal when he’s healthy and active is to teach his teammates to play the right way – by leading by example.

Sure, Jones writes, Carter’s 11.7 minutes per game could go to Kings rookie Justin Jackson or raw sophomore Malachi Richardson, but his presence adds credibility to the organization in transition.

“I think the worst thing you can do is trot five freshmen and sophomores out there together,” Joerger said. “I’ve been told that by many, many people in management, and those who’ve gone through a rebuild. You try to have a nice mix.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers have emerged as a solid defensive force this season and much of that can be attributed to reserve forward Julius Randle. Joey Ramirez of the team’s official site writes that Randle’s versatility on that side of the ball – he’s adept checking everything from perimeter players to big men – can be chalked up to his showing up to training camp in the best shape of his career.
Rookie Josh Jackson insists that his opting out of a predraft workout with the Celtics was because of a miscommunication between him and his agent and not because he didn’t want to play for a team stacked with veterans at his position, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes. “I’m not threatened by anybody, ever. I welcome competition,” the Suns forward said.
Leave it to Kyrie Irving to understand Devin Booker‘s reality with the Suns. A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes that Irving toiled in Cleveland before LeBron James returned much the same way that Booker is in Phoenix. “He already has that mentality of being a killer,” Irving said. “Now it’s just getting pieces around him in order to be at a high level to showcase that.“

Kings Notes: Hill, Carter, Joeger

November 16th, 2017 at 6:27pm CST by Austin Kent

For the first time in his career, George Hill of the Kings isn’t playing for an established winner. Forgive him, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes, if he hasn’t look entirely comfortable so far.

Through 14 games in 2017/18, the Kings sit second-last in the Western Conference with a 3-11 record. Hill, in 12 of those contests, has put up a pedestrian 8.5 points and 2.9 assists in just over 25 minutes per game.

“This year has been tough so far, trying to learn the guys, be a mentor and teach at the same time,” Hill said of his brief tenure with the Kings so far. “Plus the fact that sometimes you lose yourself in situations like that. I take full responsibility for the way I’ve been playing. I’ve got to come out with a better George from here on out.”

The guard intends to be more aggressive and look to score more as he works himself back into routine.

There’s more from the Kings today:

Veteran free agent addition Vince Carter is hard at work mentoring the young Kings, Kyle Ramos of the team’s official site writes. Carter has been focused on helping the young team learn to play the right way and not develop bad habits when they’re losing.
The Kings haven’t looked particularly dominant so far this season, but worse than losing is not competing enough. As Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes, head coach Dave Joerger isn’t afraid to come down on his young team if he doesn’t believe the effort is there. “We told our guys you’ve got to be ready to play because they’ll come at you, they compete and they play hard,” Joerger said ahead of Sacramento’s Wednesday night loss to the Hawks. “Losing is one thing, but we have to do a much better job of competing.“
Kidney stones have sidelined 20-year-veteran Vince Carter over the course of the past four games, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports.

Kings Notes: Hill, Randolph, Labissiere, Okafor

November 5th, 2017 at 10:16am CST by Arthur Hill

Sacramento added a veteran presence to a rebuilding team this summer and the combination can make the older guys feel out of place, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. The Kings spent their free agent money on George Hill, Zach Randolph and Vince Carter, but their contributions have been limited as the team stumbled to a 1-8 start. Between nights off for rest and sitting through the fourth quarters of blowouts, they are playing and producing less than expected.

Hill has been the starting point guard as the Kings wait for prize rookie De’Aaron Fox to develop, but his stats have dropped to 9.6 points and 2.7 assists per game after posting 16.9 and 4.2 last season in Utah. Randolph is averaging 12.0 points, his lowest in six years, and 6.0 rebounds, his smallest number since 2002/03. Carter is scoring a career-low 2.6 points per game in less than 12 minutes per night.

“I ain’t been through this,” Randolph said. “…We’re a young team with a young talent, so staying positive and keeping everybody together, that’s the main thing.”

There’s more this morning out of Sacramento:

Bad matchups contributed to Skal Labissiere‘s lack of playing time this week, Jones explains in a separate story. The second-year power forward was on the court just six minutes in Saturday’s loss to the Pistons and sat out the entire first half Wednesday against the Celtics. Coach Dave Joerger said he hasn’t lost confidence in Labissiere, but at 6’11” he has trouble matching up against stretch fours like Detroit’s Tobias Harris and Boston’s Jayson Tatum. “It’s hard when all these teams are playing threes as fours and they’re stretching you out,” Joerger said. “… As he learns and gets experience, he’ll be able to play on the perimeter defensively. He’ll be able to take a guy down low if he has a mismatch down there.”
The Kings need all the young talent they can find, but Sixers center Jahlil Okafor doesn’t seem like a good fit, Jones states in a mailbag column. He believes Sacramento should prioritize perimeter shooting and defense, two areas where Okafor doesn’t offer much help. Although Jones doesn’t dismiss the idea, he says the Kings shouldn’t offer much for Okafor, who will be a restricted free agent next summer after Philadelphia declined his 2018/19 option.
Young players such as Frank Mason and Malachi Richardson are likely to get more playing time as the season wears on, Jones adds in the same piece. As the Kings fall farther out of the playoff race, their emphasis will be on developing their young talent and maximizing their draft position.

Vince Carter Discusses FA Decision, Kings, Future

October 9th, 2017 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Vince Carter, who will turn 41 in January, is the NBA’s oldest active player. However, while many players in his position would prioritize getting a ring above all else, Carter wasn’t interested in signing with a title contender and being buried in that team’s rotation all season. As the veteran forward tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, he would love to win a championship, but he also wants to contribute and feel like he has earned it

“It’s easy to play for a good team and sit there,” Carter said.

That outlook resulted in the former fifth overall pick signing with the Kings as a free agent this offseason. Sacramento’s roster is packed with first- and second-year players, and no one will mistake the club for a title contender in 2017/18. Still, Carter is looking forward to the opportunity to play a significant role for the Kings and act as a mentor for the team’s young players.

Carter expanded on his motivation and touched on a few other topics during his conversation with Spears, so here are a few more highlights from the 19-year veteran:

More on why he chose the Kings in free agency:

“Opportunity. They have given me the opportunity to still play and teach and mentor. I wasn’t ready to sit on anybody’s bench and play limited minutes when I feel like I still have something to give. When I don’t have much to give, I can accept the reality. I’m not ready for that.

“Maybe teams and people see that. ‘A limited role. Maybe we want him to mentor.’ Maybe they see that. But I wanted to see if all teams felt that way. When all teams feel that way, then the mentality, the approach and what you look for is different. It helped being with [Kings head coach Dave] Joerger and the stay before [with the Grizzlies]. It’s like walking back into the Memphis locker room again with him. It was just a great situation.

On receiving an $8MM offer from the Kings:

“The money is always cool, but it wasn’t about that, to be honest with you. But when you get to this age and get that kind of money is there for you, you’re like, ‘Thank you.’ They understood and being around the coaching staff with Dave before, they know my approach. They know what I can bring to a team. It didn’t matter if I am a high draft pick or not. My approach to the game is still the same. It will never change.”

On whether 2017/18 will be his last season:

“I go year to year. I’ll wait until after the season to see how I feel. And I swear that every year when the season is over, I feel good and say, ‘I can do it again.’ It gets harder and harder throughout the summer to just prepare and get myself where I need to be. But at the same time, the challenge and motivation is still there to do so to fight through that.

“I don’t know how many more years that will happen. But doing that while trying to establish my second career is kind of the clash. I want to make sure I am prepared for phase two of my life. I want to do some broadcasting. I like that. It’s something I enjoy. I work hard at that as well. So, I’ve learned how to balance the two out, which has made it tougher to get prepared. But I know if I want to play this game, I have to do that as well.”

Dirk Nowitzki Talks New Contract, Mavs, Cuban

September 22nd, 2017 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite battling injuries and seeing his numbers take a hit during the 2016/17 season, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks this summer, and received a two-year deal from the team, an indication that 2017/18 may not be his final NBA season.

Appearing on The Jim Rome podcast this week, Nowitzki discussed the possibility of playing for two more years, explained why he has been willing to accept team-friendly deals multiple times throughout his career, and joked about whether or not he’ll retire before Vince Carter does (Carter is trying to outlast Nowitzki, Dirk says). Here are a few highlights from that conversation, via The Dallas Morning News:

On whether or not he’ll play out his new two-year contract:

“When the Mavs said ‘Hey, we want you to sign a two-year deal,’ then obviously in my head I’m thinking ‘Yeah, I’d love to fulfill this deal, I’d love to play two more years.’ But you know, last year for the first time I had some weird stuff. I had some Achilles problems, I missed almost the first two months of the season which was really, really frustrating. It was hard to kind of work my way back midseason to game shape and so it was a tough time for me.

“If that happens again and I miss 30-40 games, then it really doesn’t make any sense. I want to be out there. I don’t want to be frustrated with something and battling back from injury all the time. But if the year goes well and the body holds up good, then why not try another? So I kind of have to see and wait and listen to my body and then we can make that decision next summer.”

On whether he’s ever considered leaving the Mavericks to join a super-team:

“I always said, if we wouldn’t have won the championship here in Dallas then that would’ve been an option for me. … If we wouldn’t have won it in 2011, it would’ve been a possibility, but when we won it then I kind of knew this was the place I wanted to be. I’ve been here so long, it’s almost like I’m part of the community. … It’s just like I belong here. A different jersey at this point would feel completely weird.”

On accepting multiple team-friendly contracts throughout his career:

“Don’t get me wrong, I made a lot of money in the league. Mark [Cuban] has been incredibly loyal to me on and off the floor. He’s a great supporter of mine. After my rookie deal, I was 23, 24, and that’s when I made my first max deal, six-year deal at the time. He made me his franchise player and I just felt so fortunate to be in that situation.

“I never thought growing up that I would be in those shoes one day where I can be a franchise player and make max money. That’s like a dream come true, so I think just that relationship we have with Cubes, with the city of Dallas that was always there. I always wanted to be here, I wanted to be loyal, I wanted to be on a good team moving forward so I always wanted to help out and like I said, Mark has always been great to me so we just had a great relationship.

“I tell the story all the time, how many owners come to the best player’s bachelor party? Cubes came to mine and we had a blast, so that kind of shows you the kind of relationship we have and had over the years. It’s been awesome.”

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