5. December 17, 2004: Nets acquire Vince Carter for Alonzo Mourning’s kidney, the Williams non-twins and non-lottery picks
Vince Carter (AP)
After feuding with Raptors ownership over their commitment to winning, Vince Carter was dealt south of the Canadian border in December 2004 for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams (no relation) and two first-round, non-lottery picks. Despite admitting to tanking in Toronto and never getting out of the second round of the playoffs, Vince Carter had a successful 4½ year tenure in Jersey; Carter averaged over 20 points per game, garnered three All-Star selections, and provided numerous highlight reel dunks in a Nets uniform.
Part of what made the deal so valuable was that the Nets gave up relatively nothing. Former all-star Alonzo Mourning had barely played for the Nets coming back from a life-threatening kidney illness. The Raptors had to buy him out, and he ended up in Miami where he won a title as Shaq’s backup. Aaron Williams was a nice bench piece for the Nets, basically a poor man’s Reggie Evans with less rebounding acumen and only slightly more offensive game than Reginald Jamaal. Eric Williams is best known for being the eventual ex-husband of one of the women on “Basketball Wives.”
As for the picks, they became Stephen Graham’s identically untalented twin Joey, and former New York Knick and current Petron Blaze Booster (Philippines) Renaldo Balkman.
| Next: #4 (2011) |
callingalltoasters
February 21, 2013
Wait… an appropriate level of respect for Rick Barry and Doc? How did this get past the editors? Everyone knows the Nets began in the ’90s….
Mark Ginocchio
February 21, 2013
BOOOOOOOOOO.
alinden64
February 21, 2013
Buck Williams for Sam Bowie and Mookie Blalock was a good (under rated) deal for the Nets – although not top 5. Bowie had 3 good seasons as the Nets center. Blalock did a good job at the point. Buck wanted to move to a contender and was starting on the downside of his career.
alinden64
February 21, 2013
Putting the Gerald Wallace eal up there is not fair because the Nets would NOT have drafted Damon Lillard at #6. They would have drafted Harrison Barnes at that spot.
WynnDuffy
February 21, 2013
You are lookijg for the comments for ‘worst Nets trades’, right?
Jon C
February 21, 2013
Jim Pollard (a 6′ 4″ white guy) was known to have been able to dunk from the free throw line. And Wilt could with ease. So Dr. J was hardly the first free throw line dunker. But he is our best trade. And somewhat ironic that the Nets got him for financial reasons and then would lose him the same way.
From Wikipedia:
In the NBA, Pollard was considered one of the best forwards in the 1940s and 1950s, and was known for his leaping ability[1] (Pollard would occasionally dunk from the free throw line during warmups[2]) earning him the nickname “The Kangaroo Kid”.
FreeAgentID
April 28, 2013
I agree with five and two.
But I think they should be two and one respectively.
FreeAgentID
April 28, 2013
I agree with five and two. But I think they should be two and one respectively.