Nothin' But Nets
Fansided

Brooklyn Nets All-Time Starting Lineup

By Sameer Kumar

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets comes down court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1st quarter of game two of the NBA Finals 07 June 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. AFP PHOTO Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets comes down court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1st quarter of game two of the NBA Finals 07 June 2002 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Lakers have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. AFP PHOTO Jeff HAYNES (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Brooklyn Nets
Vince Carter #15 of the New Jersey Nets (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

2004-05 Vince Carter

27.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, 42.5 percent three-point shooting in 57 games with the Nets

Vince Carter grew tired of the losing situation with the Toronto Raptors and demanded a trade. Then-general manager Rod Thorn and company saw an opportunity to bring in the disgruntled superstar at a discounted price, as the Nets traded away Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two first-round picks in December 2004; a trade still looked at as one of the most lopsided trades in sports history.

After multiple seasons of tremendous regular-season success and deep playoff runs, the Nets were struggling with a 9-16 record at the time of Carter’s debut, as Kenyon Martin bolted to the Denver Nuggets in the offseason, and Jason Kidd missed time with injury.

Things started to turn around for New Jersey though, as Carter started to rediscover his superstar talent and really put the team on his back to ultimately help them finish with a 42-40 record.

Carter’s best stretch that season came in February; for the month he averaged a whopping 30.2 points per game including a sizzling hot 45.5 percent shooting mark from three-point range, earning him Player of the Month honors.

Related Story. The Nets should absolutely retire Vince Carter's number. light

Beyond the numbers, though, you could tell that VC was having fun playing the game again. He was dunking again after infamously declaring he would never dunk again, and he’d bring the fire and intensity every night with his ability to attack defenses and get the toughest shots to go in each and every night. It looked even sweeter with his signature “rev it up” like a motorcycle that followed those plays.

He looked like a man on a mission, and the mission that season was to get the Nets into the playoffs after being as many as 11 games under .500.

There was a legitimate case to be made for Vince to be the MVP that season, as he actually won three points in the voting that season. However, his ugly exit from Toronto and the Nets’ record weighed heavily against him despite his great campaign. All things considered, it’s still impressive that he was able to come away with some points in the MVP race.

Carter made the Meadowlands buzz on a consistent basis, and his time with the Nets will always be looked fondly upon by those who spent many years rooting for him.