Was Vince Carter more of a hero or villain for Toronto Raptors fans?
By Lior Kozai
The birth of a villain
The best case for Carter being more of a villain than a hero is how he behaved to begin the 2004-05 season. Trade requests never go over too well, but it was how Carter did it that earned the ire of Raptors fans for years to come.
Many of the details about Carter’s actions are still somewhat up for debate, such as the accusation that he tipped off some of Toronto’s plays to opposing players or outright refused to dunk in games anymore.
One thing we know pretty much for certain: Carter mailed in his final 20 games with the Raptors. He averaged just 15.9 points on 15.1 shot attempts in that stretch, far worse than any season of his career until that point.
Carter managed to tank his trade value. That, along with the front office’s general incompetence, netted Toronto a terrible trade return that set the franchise back for years.
The worst part for Raptors fans? In his 57 games with the New Jersey Nets to close the season, Carter bounced back to average 27.5 points on the best three-point shooting mark of his career. To fans, it simply felt like a betrayal: They hadn’t surrounded Carter with a poor supporting cast. They hadn’t done anything wrong. Why should New Jersey have gotten the superstar version of Carter, while Toronto had suffered two miserable months with him hardly trying?
If Carter had privately requested a trade, still put on a show for the fans every night, and lef with his head held high, perhaps he’d still be a villain in Toronto. However, Carter’s lackluster play in that final stretch ensured that he’d be reviled far more than other stars who’d left town.