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OKC Thunder December trade deadline series Part 9 – Vince Carter

By Lawrence George

Vince Carter, OKC Thunder (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Vince Carter, OKC Thunder (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Potential OKC Thunder target, Vince Carter (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

While the OKC Thunder have gotten younger this off-season, Vince Carter could serve as a key player and veteran voice in OKC’s quest for a championship.

Before we analyze how the OKC Thunder could use Vince Carter‘s skills, let pay tribute to Air Canada and the remarkable achievement of reaching 25,000 points in the NBA.

Half man, half amazing has put up some of the greatest highlights in NBA history and provided fans with entertainment for the ages. Now back to business.

At 41 years-old, Carter is still a highly productive player in the NBA and has served more as a mentor on rebuilding teams than a role player on a contending team. Despite all the accolades, an NBA Championship has eluded Carter over the course of his illustrious career and could provide Oklahoma City with two aspects vital to success:

  • Valuable veteran leadership and locker room presence
  • A reliable contributor when lights shine the brightest and pressure at its highest

While Oklahoma City have a number of young, upcoming guards on its roster, it remains to be seen whether are reliable in big moments. Even though Carter has yet to reach an NBA finals throughout his stellar 20-year career, Air Canada has shined on the big stage and come up large when needed. With championship aspirations in mind, veteran contributions have often proved the difference between winning and losing.

Statistical Contributions

Per Game Table
Season Age Tm Lg Pos G MP FG% 3P% 2P% TRB AST STL BLK PTS
2017-18 41 SAC NBA SF 58 17.7 .403 .345 .483 2.6 1.2 0.7 0.4 5.4
2018-19 42 ATL NBA SF 21 17.5 .383 .346 .440 2.3 0.9 0.6 0.3 6.6
Career NBA 1426 31.2 .437 .372 .461 4.4 3.2 1.0 0.6 17.5

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/6/2018.

Carter is largely the same player with the Atlanta Hawks this season as he was with the Sacramento Kings last year. While his counting stats aren’t impressive, the veteran is capable of making open jumpers and making the right play.  His 3-point shooting has dropped off the last two seasons but that’s largely due to having to work hard on bad teams. On a contending team with spacing, I anticipate having plenty of opportunities to land 3-point bombs and rim rocking dunks.

Despite his age, Vince can still get up.

Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY
Animated GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY /

With father time knocking on VC’s door, Carter has limited opportunities to win a ring. Lets take a look at him should Oklahoma City come knocking on his door.

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