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Toronto Wants Vince Carter To Come Home
In the 1998 NBA Draft, Vince Carter was initially drafted by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth overall pick. But he was traded to the Toronto Raptors for the fourth overall pick, Antawn Jamison, on draft night – the beginning of a new era in ‘The 6ix’.
Highlight-reel dunks, game winners, well actually wins in general, a fabulous one-two punch with his cousin Tracy McGrady and NBA playoffs. Vince Carter was the man in Toronto between 1998 and 2004. After not making the playoffs in the 2003-04 season, General Manager Glen Grunwald and the entire coaching staff were fired during the summer, which made Carter angry and frustrated with the Raptors’ front office. Eventually, Carter asked for a trade, and on December 18, 2004, the Raptors traded Carter to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two first-round draft picks.
Toronto fans felt that Carter betrayed them and were mad. Carter jerseys were burned, and new merchandise like ‘FUVC’ and ‘Wince Carter’ shirts went on sale. In his first game back (and in games for years to come) in Toronto, on April 15, 2005, Carter was heavily booed Raptors fans.
Fast forward 13 years. Carter, now 40 years-old, is still playing and just signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Sacramento Kings. Toronto fans are no longer mad at him and see him as the franchise legend he deserves to be. A documentary about Vince Carter named The Carter Effect, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this past Saturday. At the event, Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri said that the Raptors tried to bring Carter back this year, and that the 40-year-old “will be home in Toronto”.
Masai Ujiri says 'Vince Carter will be home in Toronto' … not sure what that means — jersey retirement when time comes?
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) September 9, 2017
He did not explain what he exactly meant by this statement, but rumors started to spread. Will Carter get his jersey retired in Toronto? Will the Raptors try to convince Carter to come back home and play one last season with them, after his year with the Kings?
Then later, during a Q-and-A after the premiere, Toronto native rap superstar Drake said that he also wants Carter back in the city:
“It would be amazing, hopefully, for Vince to give us one last chance to not just give him a standing ovation for one night or two nights out of the year,”
While we don’t know if Carter wants to come back, or even play for another season, it would be nice to see him reppin’ Raptors’ colors for one last time, even if it was on a career-ending one-day contract.
