12/20/2004 08:51:00 AM|||Shep|||I'm not even going to try to understand why the Nets would basically trade Kenyon Martin for Vince Carter. I mean, yes, in his prime, Vince was certainly the better player, but wasn't Martin working well with the Nets? And hasn't Carter been perpetually injured the last few seasons?

So... moving on:

Fantasy Impact on the Nets

Not much. Vince is probably a better fantasy option now that he's playing Kidd and Jefferson. Perhaps he'll be happier with New Jersey than he was with Toronto, but who's to say... He's not on a really great team either way. New Jersey's bench is not good, and is now worse off than before. Jason Collins has been playing 31 minutes a game, so it's not like he's got all that much room to move up. Even if he did, his numbers aren't that great.

Nenad Krstic looks to be the starting center now that Aaron Williams and Alonzo Mourning have shipped out. Krstic's numbers per 48 minutes aren't that bad really (especially compared to Collins). On the 19th he played 25 minutes, had 15 points, 4 rebs, 4 ast, and a block, on 48% FG and 75% FT. Like I sadi, not too shabby. Of course, that was without Carter in the lineup to absorb a few shot attempts.

Fantasy Impact on the Raptors

Mourning is already saying he wants a buyout... And if Toronto's position on satisficing unhappy players remains the same, he'll get it. Let's play the wait and see game to find out where he eventually ends up.

So, Aaron Williams will play backup Center to Loren Woods (according to ESPN's depth chart). The other Williams (Eric) will take over the starting SF spot (meaning that he'll get Carter's mintes), and Peterson and Murray (Lamond, in case you'd forgotten about him) will be putting up the same kind of anemic numbers they did when Carter was in Toronto.

Now... while some can criticize the Bulls for having Brand, Artest, and Miller as their front three a few years ago... the Raptors had Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. They could have (and should have) built a team around those two that Mourning (and Kidd, and Malone) would have wanted to play for.

Count it.
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