Early in the summer, Vince Carter talked about how he was committed to sticking with the Nets and seeing the team's rebuilding phase through. Thus far, he is continuing to sing his tune.
As reported by the The Record's Al Iannazzone:
MAHWAH — During the Nets’ summer overhaul, Vince Carter learned that people were speculating and some said he would ask for a trade because he didn’t want to go through a rebuild. That was news to him.
Carter insists he wants to remain a Net and believes he proved it by helping organize the voluntary workouts and pickup games at the team’s practice facility in August and September.
"When they said, ‘You’re going to jump ship,’ I don’t believe that," Carter said. "I’m here. It says New Jersey on my jersey and I’m going to do my job."
"I’m OK with that," Carter said of playing through a rebuild. "I would love to win a championship. But to take a team that is considered rebuilding and become a playoff team, there’s a lot of satisfaction in that for me."
Pardon me if I can't help finding at least a bit of irony in the certainty of Carter's tone.
The skepticism is going to come naturally toward Carter for this one. That's what happens when a guy's legacy is as a loafer and his defining career moment is tipping plays to opponents in an effort to force his way out of town. Actions tend to speak a tad louder than words.
But all that said, it would be an impressive turn of events and change of character to see Carter make his new line of thinking stand up. The man is an immensely talented basketball player, and it would be intriguing to see him really put everything he has into being a leader for a young team. I'll remain a bit skeptical but intrigued to see how this plays out.