Does Vince Carter Still Play In The NBA?
Vince Carter is one of the most iconic players in NBA history. He’s been in the league for 22 years and is still going strong. But does he still play in the NBA?
Vince Carter’s History
Vince Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the University of North Carolina before being drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Carter quickly became one of the best players in the league, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and being selected to the All-Star Game in his first season.
Drafted by the Golden State Warriors
In the 1998 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors selected Vince Carter with the fifth overall pick. Carter was traded to the Toronto Raptors on draft night for Antawn Jamison, who was drafted fourth overall by the Raptors.
Traded to the Toronto Raptors
In 1998, the Hawks traded Carter to the Toronto Raptors for Alan Henderson, Brevin Knight, and Žan Tabak. The Raptors had just finished their inaugural season with a 21-61 win-loss record. In his first season with the Raptors, Carter helped lead the team to a 16-66 record, an improvement from their previous season. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Vince Carter’s time with the Raptors
In 1998, the Toronto Raptors drafted Vince Carter as the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft. Carter quickly became one of the most popular players in the league, wowing fans with his high-flying dunks and electric playing style. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1999 and was selected to participate in the All-Star game in 2000.
Despite his individual success, Carter was never able to lead the Raptors to a championship. In 2002, he was traded to the New Jersey Nets in a deal that sent shockwaves through the NBA. The trade is widely considered one of the worst in league history, and it decimated the Raptors franchise for years to come.
Carter would go on to have a stellar career with the Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies. He is currently ranked 21st on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and is one of only eight players in league history to score over 25,000 points.
Vince Carter’s Later Career
Vince Carter is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered one of the best dunkers in NBA history, winning the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
Carter’s time with the Nets
In his first three seasons with the Nets, Carter averaged at least 20 points per game, and helped lead the team to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs respectively. However, because of injuries and a decline in play, Carter’s production decreased considerably over the next few years with the Nets, as he was often hamstrung by injuries and had trouble living up to his once-stellar reputation.
After taking a pay cut to join the Mavericks in 2009, Carter experienced a career resurgence of sorts, as he helped Dallas win its first ever NBA championship in 2011. In 2012, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies where he continued to play at a high level, before finally joining the Hawks in 2014. Now in his 21st season, Carter is still going strong and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Carter’s time with the Magic
In his first season with the Magic, Carter averaged 20.6 points per game, good for second on the team behind Dwight Howard. He also shot a career-high 41.9 percent from three-point range. The Magic made the playoffs that year, but were quickly dispatched by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round.
The following season, Carter’s numbers dipped a bit as he averaged 18.8 points per game while shooting just 39.4 percent from three-point range. The Magic again made the playoffs, but were once again beaten in the first round, this time by the Milwaukee Bucks.
After two disappointing exits from the playoffs, Carter and the Magic finally broke through in 2009. Carter averaged 21 points per game during the regular season and then upped his scoring to 23 points per game in the playoffs as the Magic reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Unfortunately, they would ultimately fall to Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.
Carter’s time with the Suns
In the summer of 2004, Carter was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Raja Bell and Al Harrington. The Suns were coming off of a disappointing season in which they went 29-53 and missed the playoffs. They were looking for a shake-up and Carter was expected to provide some much-needed scoring punch.
In his first season with the Suns, Carter averaged 16.9 points per game, his lowest output since his rookie year. He struggled to find his place in the offense and was often relegated to a spot-up shooter role. The Suns made the playoffs that season, but they were quickly dispatched by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
The following season was even worse for Carter and the Suns. They finished with a sub-.500 record and missed the playoffs. Carter’s numbers dipped even lower, as he averaged just 13 points per game. After two largely disappointing seasons in Phoenix, Carter was traded again, this time to the Orlando Magic.
Carter’s time with the Mavericks
In 2014, Carter signed a multi-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. In his first season with the Mavericks, he helped the team make the playoffs. He continued to play well for the Mavericks in the 2015-16 season, and was even voted as an All-Star starter. However, Carter’s time with the Mavericks came to an end after just two seasons. In 2016, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Carter’s time with the Grizzlies
In July 2014, Carter signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. In his first season with the team, he helped them to a franchise-record 56-win season. The following year, he averaged 12.6 points per game as the Grizzlies made it back to the playoffs.
In 2016–17, his third season with the team, Carter moved into a bench role and saw his playing time decline. He averaged 8.0 points per game in 66 games, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. The Grizzlies again made the playoffs, but were swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs.
In 2017–18, Carter’s fourth and final season with the Grizzlies, he averaged 5.4 points per game in 76 games played. He appeared in all 22 of the team’s playoff games as they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, before losing to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Carter’s time with the Hawks
In the 2014–15 season, his first with the Hawks, Carter averaged 11.9 points per game, coming off the bench in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He scored a season-high 28 points on January 5, 2015 against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks.
Where is Vince Carter Now?
At 43 years old, Vince Carter is still going strong in the NBA. He is currently playing for the Atlanta Hawks and is averaging 7 points per game. He is also the oldest player in the NBA.
Vince Carter’s current team
Vince Carter is currently a free agent. He last played for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018-2019 season.
Vince Carter’s stats for the 2019-2020 season
In his 21st season in the NBA, Vince Carter averaged 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 58 games for the Atlanta Hawks. He shot 35.8 percent from the field, 32.4 percent from three-point range and 78.5 percent from the free-throw line.
