Phoenix Suns: 10 stars you forgot played for the Suns
By Jono Perilli
#4: Vince Carter (2010-11)
Vince Carter‘s impact on the game of basketball has been undoubtedly ridiculous. His pure athleticism earned him respect from every fan. Typically, he is known for his time in Toronto, New Jersey and Dallas, but there was a point when a 34-year-old Carter played half a season in Phoenix.
It can be argued that Carter is one of the greatest Toronto Raptors‘ players of all-time, especially since he is the guy who put Toronto basketball on the map. He would then make a massive impact in New Jersey apart of the contending squad that featured Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Though they never achieved greatness, Carter was thriving apart of the Nets, much like he was in Toronto. Carter, after all, added athleticism to an already athletic team, as well as superb shooting ability.
Following five great years in New Jersey, Carter was traded to the Orlando Magic, that involved our old friend, Ryan Anderson. After a rocky season in Orlando, Carter was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in December of 2010.
Carter’s tenure in Phoenix was short and sweet, though he was a beneficiary. He averaged 13.5 points per game in fifty-one games, in which he started forty-one of those. Carter’s Phoenix run featured Steve Nash, an elderly Grant Hill and a washed-up Jason Richardson. This team finished 40-42, which was shy of a playoff spot.
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On a team that featured former superstars, the team was lacking that future core that could’ve bought them somewhere. Instead, this team was chock-a-block full of guys who were out of their primes, hoping to clinch onto something, like Carter.
In December 2011, Carter was waived from the team. He would then sign a deal to the Dallas Mavericks, a team that was looking to repeat their championship run. In the coming years, Carter would float around multiple teams before ending up in a young Atlanta Hawks roster in the 2018-19 season
Now that we’re heading into Carter’s final run in the NBA, we’re bound to look back on his career and his dramatic impact on each team. It’s pretty doubtful that some fans will remember his stint in Phoenix.