Carter says DeRozan ‘allowed’ to feel hurt over departure from Raptors
TORONTO — As loquacious as Vince Carter has become — and there’s every sign he will become a top-notch television analyst if his National Basketball Association playing career ever comes to an end — he was at a momentary loss for words trying to discuss the franchise-altering dismissal of DeMar DeRozan from the Toronto Raptors franchise.
“I think wow,” Carter said on a Thursday afternoon conference call. “That’s it; simple as that.”
Except few know that it’s a simple as that better than Carter, who at least shares with DeRozan the mantle of “Best Raptor ever” and whose own trade away from Toronto in 2004 remains one of the more polarizing moments in franchise history.
“GMs, even owners, have different views of the team, the city, the players,” said Carter, who was chatting with reporters because he will be part of Fox Sports’ coverage of the NBA’s Junior World Championships in Florida.
“We all look at it like DeMar has done so many great things — which he has — and he deserves to finish his career there, particularly if he wants to and we all know he did. It’s just one of those things where the organization, I think they saw it different. They wanted to take advantage of an opportunity and who knows if it works or not.
“If it works, I think everybody forgets about it; if it doesn’t then it blows up in their face. I think that’s how these things work and it’s difficult situation in the bigger picture.”
Last month, the Raptors traded DeRozan, a four-time NBA allstar, forward Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for forward Kawhi Leonard and guard Danny Green.
Carter sees the opportunity that awaits DeRozan.
“As hurt as he is — and he should be and he’s allowed to be — it’s another awesome opportunity for him because it’s not all the time when a situation happens like this where a player is traded to a situation like what DeMar is walking into,” said Carter, who is the NBA’s oldest player at 41 years old,
“We’ve seen what Gregg Popovich (who will coach DeRozan in San Antonio) has done with players throughout his career and I think it’s an unbelievable opportunity for DeMar to go to the next level.”
Carter will call games next week in the NBA’s inaugural world championship for club teams of 13- and 14-year-olds, which includes a girls team from Welland and a boys team from Brampton.
Carter won’t say for dead certain this will be his last season as a player — but there’s no doubt what he sees as he next career.
“I think this is another way you can coach the game but to a different crowd,” he said.