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Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Hall Of Famer Vince Carter On His Career & Incredible Longevity
00:59:53
Hoop Collective: Hall Of Famer Vince Carter On His Career & Incredible Longevity
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- [00:00]
Bobby Marks
If your football team had one option in their playbook, the results probably wouldn't be great. The same could be said for your investments.
- [00:07]
Vince Carter
CBOE index options like SPX and XSP.
- [00:10]
Bobby Marks
Can help expand your investing strategies with cash settlement and potential tax advantages. If you're ready for a more dynamic game plan, head to betterwithoptions.com CBO Life is Better with options. Your investments could be too.
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Unknown Speaker
There are risks associated with CBOE Company products.
- [00:26]
Vince Carter
Review the disclosures and disclaimers@cboe.com USDISCLAIMERS Foreign.
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Brian Windhorst
Welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which we are doing for me on Tuesday afternoon over here in Europe, which we'll talk about later. I'm over here to see the Pacers and Spurs play this week. Joining us from Naples, Florida is our front office insider. He's really just our insider, Bobby Marks.
- [00:55]
Bobby Marks
Hey guys, how are you?
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Brian Windhorst
So, Bobby, we have you on today to talk NBA as usual. We will get to that. But really the main reason you're here is because of our special guest joining us on the podcast who's got, you know, as far as non playing goes, this is a pretty big week for Mr. Vince Carter, who's joining us from Atlanta where he's doing TNT work before going to New York later this week. So, Vince, you are for the second time this season having your number retired. This week, the Brooklyn Nets. But the New Jersey Nets, really, the New Jersey Nets are retiring number 15. So first off, congratulations.
- [01:32]
Vince Carter
Thank you.
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Brian Windhorst
And I gotta say, this is what's going on this week in Vince Carter's life. There's a documentary being released on his time with the Nets. There's a premiere, isn't there? Isn't there like a formal premiere?
- [01:47]
Vince Carter
The premieres on the 23rd.
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Brian Windhorst
The Empire State Building is lighting up in New Jersey Nets colors. Right, Bobby? It's going red, white.
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Bobby Marks
I love those. I love those colors.
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Brian Windhorst
Yeah, yeah. Red, white and blue. New Jersey Nets colors. And you have an event at the empire State Building. Mr. Carter.
- [02:02]
Vince Carter
Yes.
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Brian Windhorst
Your number is being retired on Saturday night against the Miami Heat. And then Sunday the Buffalo Bills, who you recently became a part owner of, are playing in the AFC Championship game in Kansas City.
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Vince Carter
In Kansas City. And it's my birthday.
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Brian Windhorst
Oh my gosh.
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Vince Carter
And it's your birthday also the 26th as well.
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Brian Windhorst
Oh, but happy birthday early, by the way. Also your bobblehead night on Saturday.
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Vince Carter
Yeah.
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Bobby Marks
Yes.
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Brian Windhorst
I mean, what else can we get in, Bobby?
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Vince Carter
I mean, geez, it's a lot going on.
- [02:32]
Bobby Marks
It's a lot going on.
- [02:33]
Vince Carter
And then let me add to that after all that's done, it's time to unwind and get back into studio mode because that Tuesday I'll be back in studio calling some games so doing what I do. Amazing.
- [02:46]
Brian Windhorst
Amazing. Well, first off, congratulations on all that. And the reason we got Bobby here is because for was a. How many years Bobby? 20.
- [02:54]
Bobby Marks
Well, we traded for Vince. Well we, well the Nets traded for Vince in 2004. So it's been, it was, we had the 20 year anniversary back in early mid December I think when that trade happened here. It feels like it was just the other day when we traded for Vince from Toronto. And yeah, Wendy had texted me this morning and he said like hey, you have any thoughts like with Vince coming on? And I like sent him like a 500 word article. I had written, I had written when, when Vince got into the, into the hall of Fame here. Just kind of my thoughts on, and we're certainly going to talk about it as far as when we made the trade to get Vince and, and kind of his impact and I will say this on record and, and, and Jason kid did wonders for our organization. Certainly when we got Jason Trade In 2001 we go to two NBA finals. But getting Vince in that trade, I, I, to this day I, I still say save the franchise. And why I say that is, is that we were in a dark time. Like we had just gone, we had just lost to Detroit in seven games. That Pistons team, I always tease Chauncey, I said if you didn't hit that shot in game five to beat us in triple over. Well, we beat them in triple overtime. But that, that game like took the life out of us. We would have, I don't know, maybe things would have been a little bit different. But the, the team was in disarray. Jason was out. He had micro fracture surgery before the start. He literally played the whole year with like one leg. Carrie Kills had been traded to the Clippers for, I don't know, future. Second, Kenyon was traded to Denver and.
- [04:34]
Brian Windhorst
Denver decision was made. I remember, I remember being in Las Vegas when Kenyon Martin showed up to a Nuggets summer league game. Yeah, that was back when not all free agency got done on June 30th. Vince. It was like July 7th or 8th and like that night it was because the Nets were agreeing to send Kenyon Martin still very much in his prime basically for draft picks. Right Bobby? It was like, it was like, oh.
- [05:00]
Bobby Marks
I remember, listen, the decision was made, the decision was made in a, in New York City. I still remember the meeting myself, Rod, Thorne, Lawrence, Frank, Ed Stefanskin met over, went over to, to New York and met with a group of Wall street investors who were thinking about buying the team to join forces with Bruce Ratner. And I remember them giving a presentation. This is when analytics were starting to come in. And basically, and no offense to Jerome Williams, the junkyard dog, basically. JYD compared Kenyon to Vince to Jerome Williams as far as what his production was and what his value was. And I think his value was like a three million dollar player. And we walked out of there and I said, I don't think we're going to be able to sign Mr. Mart. And, and that certainly changed the course of the, of the franchise.
- [05:51]
Brian Windhorst
So Vince, I was the day, I don't know if you remember this, but you got traded to New Jersey and I actually was at the game where you came and you sat on the bench for a game in the suit, I assume.
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Vince Carter
Right.
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Brian Windhorst
And they introduced you and there was not that big of a crowd at the Brendan Byrne arena, whatever it was called at that time. And, and, but that was the beginning and that was a huge moment. When you came to the Nets. It was a very pivotal moment in your career because you had asked for a trade away from the Raptors and the Nets were on the decline. So that ended up being a really important moment that, you know, when you made that transition.
- [06:33]
Vince Carter
Yeah, it was a strange moment for me. How it happened I'll never forget. We were in Indiana and had a brief conversation with Mr. Babcock and he had said, Rest in peace to Mr. Babcock. He said, oh no, all is quiet, nothing's there. I go to take my nap, pregame nap, because I'm going over early like I normally do. I was injured with an Achilles, so I was going over there early to get my work in and to progress, to hopefully get back on the court. And when I wake up, my phone was out of control, like with text message people calling. And the first person that calls me is Gary Sussman. Then I finally talked to, I talked to Suss and, and he's like welcoming to the team. And he was the head of the.
- [07:19]
Brian Windhorst
Nets PR and famously also the public address announcer.
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Vince Carter
Yes, that's where VC3 came from. And did you see start from him? And I'm still groggy, waking up, trying to just process all this. Like, wait, what, what just happened? He literally two hours ago, it was nothing there. And I was like, all right, cool. We, you know, get, let me go over and get work done. And next thing I know, I'm like, okay, what happens next? And one of the first people I talked to was Jalen Rose, and. And I'm like. Because I've never been traded before, I said, so what happens now? The team's getting ready to go. We're sitting in the hallway chatting. Because back in that time, as you, you know, guys would just sit in the hallway, just chat and communicate and have, you know, have real conversation as opposed to, you know, how things are now. And so we're just sitting there, all the guys, you know, talking. Alvin Williams, I remember talking to him on the phone, but all the guys were just chatting, chatting. And they leave. And I'm just sitting in the. In the. In the hotel, like, all right. But the cool thing about it is the team, the Raptors, after the. I sat and watched it in the game in the hotel. The Raptors actually. Team bus comes back and picks me up. I get on the bus, and I fly back to Toronto with the. With the Raptors team. Why? Because the Nets were playing the Raptors in Toronto.
- [08:38]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, my gosh.
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Vince Carter
Days later, which was. It was so awkward. So when I got there, I remember being. I don't know if it was you, Bobby, or maybe Rod or someone telling me that, you know, don't come to the game, you know, which was also awkward, just watching it on tv that, like, the. The new team I'm playing for, the team I played for literally across the street, and I'm here packing stuff in because I'm gonna get on the. On the plane with my new team to come to. To Jersey. So it was a very interesting couple of days for me.
- [09:11]
Bobby Marks
Well, I mean, and kind of peeling back the layers from that. You know, we were, I don't know, 10 games below.500 at the time when we. We had made the trade and Jason was starting to. Was close to coming back. And I remember how the setup was in our old practice facility in. In East Rutherford. Was that Rod Thorne, our present. His office was up top, and my office was below him, directly below him. And I remember whenever his SEC or Rod or his secretary would call for me to come up if I ever came up and the door was shut, I knew we had something going, right? Like, I knew. So I walk up there, the door shut. I walk in there, and he says, hey, grab notepad. Look. Look at this for me. I think we have a chance to get Vince Carter. And I looked at him like, all right, for who? And he said, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Morning. Who had been out because he had the kidney transplant and two, two of the first round picks we had gotten from Denver and the Kenyon Martin sign and trade. And usually I'll go down and I'll run the numbers and we'll lay it out. And I said do it. Like, do it. And we were able to. We were able to. Yeah. And I don't even know if we even sat on it for a day, but we were able to get that deal done. And I remember, I remember when Vince, Vince came in into Teterboro Airport because it was so cold and picking him up and taking him to get his physical and. And you're right, he was, you know, out for a little bit and it was, it was a great, you know, certainly, you know, going to the playoffs. We want to go to the playoffs. That year back then it was best of five. We get in the playoffs. The last game of the year, we beat the Celtics and we play Miami as the five in with Shaq, Miami. And Zoe I think had gotten back to Miami. He was on that team also, which was. And then we go to, you know, we go to the playoffs for the next, I don't know, three or four years. Could never get past the Heat and then certainly LeBron and his early days with Cleveland in, in the conference semifinals. But it was a terrific run. I think my biggest memory of Vince and certainly besides going back to Toronto and hitting a game winning shot and all the, all the, the, the dunk in Miami was. And for me was the San Antonio game that Vince played in where at home. Yes. Vince had it going like I think you would have went for 60 points that game. And he had gotten teed up, teed up for something before. And this is when Bruce Bowen was on the Spurs.
- [11:44]
Vince Carter
Yeah.
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Bobby Marks
And you know, Bruce was known for stepping, you know, the, basically stepping under players when they were shooting three and Vince shot a three and he landed on him and this was, you know, he's coming off, you know, Achilles ankle, you know, and Vince went cra. You know, went crazy, right? He want. And so they, they throw him out of the. Vince gets teed up. Throw him out of the game. And after the game me. And so Rod Thorne and I would sit in a suite in a corner of the Meadowlands. The two of us sat there for 10 years. Every home game he. I sat in the front, he sat in the back. And after the game he says to me, let's go. And we go down the back stairwell and the stairwell leads us to the officials locker room.
- [12:29]
Brian Windhorst
That's interesting design.
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Bobby Marks
And Rod is. He. Remember, Rod used to be the head of the officials. Rod is banging on the. On the door, like for them, like to come out.
- [12:39]
Brian Windhorst
Right.
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Bobby Marks
And I remember and I. And this triggered me because, Brian, you had. You had Jimmy Capers on, I think.
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Brian Windhorst
Yeah.
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Bobby Marks
On a recent pod. And his dad was a referee observer. And I said to Jimmy Caperson, I said, this is blank. And you know, I started cursing at him, like, this doesn't happen nowadays. Right. Like.
- [12:57]
Brian Windhorst
Like this nowadays. There's a security guard posted at the door.
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Vince Carter
Yeah, yeah.
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Brian Windhorst
And that prevents this sort of nonsense from you out of control front office.
- [13:07]
Bobby Marks
So I'm yelling at him and he looks at me and he says, bobby, I'll take Rod. I ain't taking your tonight. And that was it.
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Vince Carter
That was it.
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Bobby Marks
And I just walked down the hallway. But that's. That's one of the, you know, besides every. I said, everything else that Vince has done, that's the game that stands out. As far as that San Antonio game.
- [13:27]
Vince Carter
I'm gonna add to that real quick before you go forward, Wendy, because with all of that going on there, I'm steaming, obviously, after the locker room, after going. Getting ejected in the locker room, I'm coming out after the game. Bruce and I, I had some words with him because I knew what he was. What he was doing. I knew what he was doing. And you know, like, like Bobby said, I was having a night. So we kind of get into it and I was literally out there waiting for them to come out of that locker room. And I remember Kristachin and obviously everyone else, security or whatever, like, no, this is not a good idea. Whatever. I was like, no, I. I need. He needs to hear what I got to say and then we can go from there. Like that. It was that. It was that intense. Obviously.
- [14:06]
Brian Windhorst
I mean, this is. No, the stories of Vince getting ejected and going after a guy in the back. Bobby, this is. Wasn't what I thought I was going to get into with this honorarium podcast.
- [14:16]
Vince Carter
And I see Courtly Kirkland often, and he's one. He's the one guy that to this day, I still go up and shake his hand and give him a hug and say thank you because he was the guy when it happened, I got up and start running towards him to pretty much throw a punch. Courtney was the guy who tackled me and saved me from doing something crazy. So to this day.
- [14:35]
Brian Windhorst
So just to be clear, because I've never heard this story. So this is post game in the back. You're Going for Bruce Bowen, like to punch him. You were, you were planning.
- [14:47]
Vince Carter
When the shot happened. When the shot happened, I land on him and he runs down. I get up because I knew what was what he was doing. That's how I got ejected because I was running. I direct beeline to, to like it was one of those, like it was the trigger. It was the trigger because we had already gotten the technical first for, you know, back and forth. So that's why that happened. And then trying to calm myself down, being ejected after the game. Now game's over, they got to go to the bus type thing.
- [15:15]
Brian Windhorst
So, yeah, so I have listened to stories with my colleague Richard Jefferson talk about how it's what it was like to play with Jason Kidd when you got to Brooklyn, New Jersey, sorry, after all of that, you'd gone through, you know, the breakup in Toronto. We're not going to go over that old ground. And you got to play with Jason Kidd, hall of Fame point guard. What was, what, what was that situation like for you?
- [15:40]
Vince Carter
And it's, this is something I'm going to probably mention the retirement night. But like, I, I, I've mentioned it before. Playing against him or playing with him in all star games is one thing, but being a teammate is another thing. And I'll never forget the first game playing with Jay Jay Kid. He him throwing a lob to me and he threw the lob so darn high. And it kind of goes out of bound, you know. J Kid was, did care, could care less about a turnover because he didn't get many of them and his assisted turnover ratio was next level. But I remember he goes down the court and he looks at me and he's like, oh, wow. He said, I just wanted to see how high I can throw it. To see, you know, to see, see measure where I'm, where you're going to go. And I told him before, I was like, you throw it. I'm going to try. I'm never going to look at the ball like, ah, that's too high. I might not be able to get it. I was going to always try. So I think from that moment on, JK coming back, the excitement, what could be him throwing that lob to test the waters, me saying, I'm going to, I'll go try. If you throw it over the backboard, I'm going to try. I always feel like I can at least get a hand fingertip on it or something to preserve the play. And we hit the ground running and I remember him having to yell at me and this is when I say yell. Jay didn't. Didn't say much. He showed by his play on the court and when he had something to say, he said it. So everybody's like, oh, shoot, shut up. Jason's talking. He said to me one time, you know, I'm being hesitant, trying to fit in. He's like, that's not what we brought you here for. And the rest was history. So I got a lot of backlash from Raptors fans because, oh, how come we didn't see this version? I'm like, okay. When I played in Toronto, I had to create on my own, which obviously I learned how to do. I'm now playing with one of the best point guards ever. And now I just have to do is the back end of that is score the basketball. Everything else was set up. So he made the game so easy for me. And once we hit our stride, once he said that to me, it was just play and go. Because RJ always said, he's like, look, you're playing with Jason Kidd. When he. When Twin gets a rebound or when J Kid gets the rebound, run. And Jason, RJ used to just take off running. And I was watching how easily he was getting easy basket. He's like, I can get 10 points just from running because JK's gonna throw the ball ahead. So if you look at the back half of my time there, it was a foot race on both wings to see who can outrun.
- [18:13]
Bobby Marks
Boom.
- [18:13]
Vince Carter
Because I'm open. RJ's like, I'm open. Like, it was just. It was that fun and that easy to play with Jay.
- [18:20]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah. And you ended up really flourishing there. You know, there were people who thought maybe your best days were behind you. I don't know. There wasn't. Maybe Bobby was. It was. Was there robust trade offers for Vince? I remember taking a little while.
- [18:39]
Bobby Marks
No, I mean, I mean, we kind of just snuck in there. I mean, really, I think it was just, you know, the. I think the appeal for Toronto to get some second round, first round picks back, I think was pretty desirable. But it's not like, you know, we. Back then in 2004 is not like 2000.
- [18:57]
Brian Windhorst
They didn't know you had 15 years left in the event they didn't know you had 15 years.
- [19:00]
Bobby Marks
There was no. There was no Twitter or social media to be known that Vince Carter is available in trades. Right. Like, it was basically, we did it the old fashioned way. You call teams and see who's available and invite. And if you call a team and it says, yeah, we're thinking of doing something. Okay, this is what our best offer could be here. Unfortunately for us, you know, Toronto was going in a. Was going in a different direction that we were able to. We were able to get something done there.
- [19:27]
Vince Carter
More HOOPP Collective podcast after this.
- [19:30]
Brian Windhorst
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- [19:59]
Unknown Speaker
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- [20:32]
Vince Carter
Don't miss the first Marvel movie event of the year. The country needs Captain America. You asked for me? Here I am on February 14th. Get the suits ready. Experience a brave new world. Let's go. That's made for imax. Stand by for proof of death.
- [20:49]
Bobby Marks
You want me?
- [20:50]
Vince Carter
Come and get me. Captain America. Brave new world. See you to Nightmax. February 14th. Get tickets now. Ready. PG13 this film may be inappropriate for children under 13.
- [21:04]
Brian Windhorst
So, you know, I had. I don't know how you feel, Vince, about your last moment in the NBA. I think it's kind of like a melancholy moment in, in a way people thought was really cool. It was. It was the night that the league shut down with COVID I'll let you tell the story. You hit a three pointer to like as. As the game ended and like everybody kind of realized this could be it. I don't know what you, what your memories are that night. I certainly remember that.
- [21:27]
Vince Carter
But before you remember from it first, I'd love to hear your version.
- [21:31]
Brian Windhorst
So what I remember about that was the league was shutting down. You remember Mark Cuban, like, saw his. Remember that night, like, yeah, Mark Cuban saw his phone, like, walked over and showed the refs, like, we're shutting Down. So Lloyd Pierce is your coach. And, like, I don't. It seems crazy to me in the moment that people were coming to the realization that, like, the season could be over tonight. Like, to me, I remember thinking, well, we're going to shut down for a few weeks here. But, like, I guess it was understood, like, this could be it for you. And so they put you out there and you hit this three, which was celebratory. And it was like. People were like, well, if that was Vince Carter's last moment, that's great. And I was like, how could it be Vince Carter's last moment? I'm not ready in my mind to have this happen. What was. What was your memory for you for that night?
- [22:13]
Vince Carter
So, yes, we were playing the New York Knicks. And prior to that, we had a meeting with ownership and executives, everyone coming down, explaining what could happen if. So if there's a player who came up positive the league would shut down for two weeks, so on and so forth, and then they would resume if everything. And there weren't any other players that came up positive. So we're like, okay, cool. You know, this is new. Like, yeah, cool, whatever. You know how that goes. Go play the game. And halftime is when they got the word about Rudy Gobert, and they were trying to rush halftime well, us to finish the game. So we got the game started. We're playing, and you could see everybody on their phone not really watching the game. We don't know anything. We're learning. We just heard what we heard. We're still playing the game. So now comes the fourth quarter. Knicks are up, and then it comes, like, last five minutes, and they're starting to chant. I'm on the bench. They're starting to chant. I'm like, man, please. I could always go back in in two weeks or whenever the league resumes. And at about three minutes left in the game, they're still chanting. I'd already blocked it out. Dwayne Dedman sat next to me, and he said, vince, do you realize this might be your last game? This could possibly be your last game. I said, yeah, that's crazy. And as I sat there for, like, two minutes, I was like, damn, this might be my last game. So now we're standing up and they're trying to. They're chanting again. They're pushing at a minute, about a minute and a half. LP Lloyd Pierce looks over and, like, I was like, all right, cool. I'll go in. I'll go in. And so I check in. Everybody's cheering and it was a cool moment, and as I got to the table, I was like, damn, this might be my last game for real. So when I got in the game, I'll never forget the first thing. Trae Young throw you the lob. I said, hell, no. You're not doing me a lot. You know how long I've been sitting on that over there? I said, hell, no.
- [24:06]
Brian Windhorst
I'm 40 years old, buddy.
- [24:08]
Vince Carter
Are you crazy? I'm 43 over here. Like, I need time to warm up. So I remember saying something to RJ Barrett about this, and he's like, man, this might be your last. So we're all coming to the realization, and they're like, take the shot. I'll let you take the shot.
- [24:22]
Brian Windhorst
Like the Knicks are saying, take the shot.
- [24:24]
Vince Carter
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was like, you know, I'm pride. Like, no, no, no, no. But, like, when I got the ball, if you watch it, people are kind of backing off. So that is more pressure.
- [24:35]
Brian Windhorst
Right?
- [24:36]
Vince Carter
It's like that open shot that you get sometimes. You got to take the dribble. So in my mind, I was like, I'm like, shoot this like, it's the second quarter. Not like, you know, don't worry about. Don't. Don't think of the fact that you've been sitting there forever and this could be your last shot. So I kind of stepped into it, shot it as if I was on fire, and it went in. That's why I did like this. I said, thank you. Thank you. Because I'm like, all right, if I miss this shot, I'm going to run this ball down. I just want to see the ball go in. I think that's why I was at peace with my career ending that way, more so than everyone else, which I'm very appreciative of, because I can't imagine guys how miserable I would have been the following year. My career over, ended on a mission that they let me shoot, and I didn't put the ball in with time, and I had time to actually, you know, if I missed it, hopefully they let me get the rebound or whatever. But I made it, and I was kind of at peace at that point.
- [25:32]
Brian Windhorst
So you. So you went into the hall of Fame last year, and now you're having your number retired in all these places, and, you know, being honored this way. And one of the things that I've noticed, like, especially about you and Tracy, you and Tracy McGrady are always linked because you're related. You know, you. You guys came in at the same time. And one of the things, you know, I had a great opportunity to work with both of you, so I know you guys a little bit. And one of the things I've, I've seen is that, you know, this generation of player, like, a lot of them, and I mean, like, not even the guys who are rookies now, I'm not talking about like the Chet Holmgren's of the world, but the guys who have been in the league for a few years, like, they came up, you know, like, it was, it was. It was amazing to me as guys would come through the studio and they would come up and they would see t Mac and they would treat him with such reverence. And I see the same thing with you. How was that to be kind of in the league with guys who had this reverence for you? Because you'd been in the league 20.
- [26:32]
Vince Carter
Years, the first couple. The first year. So the first time it happened where there was guys that I'm. That come in the game saying, hey, man, I'm a big fan. I had your poster on my wall.
- [26:45]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah.
- [26:45]
Vince Carter
I was a kid, like. And it's like, damn, was that a shot or is that.
- [26:50]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, now I'm gonna dunk on you, old man.
- [26:54]
Vince Carter
You know, showing appreciation. And obviously that's the time I took it at first. And I had a hard time accepting that because it's like, man, this is weird. Like, I just never imagined. I just remember going from the youngest guy, now in the middle, to close to the back end, to, you know, to the back end, one of the older guys, to the oldest guy. And once I got used to it, like, maybe a year or two later, particularly my last two or three years, it was a badge of honor. And particularly my last year because, I mean, I'm like, hey, I'm 43. I'm still able to play this game, compete, can still still score when I need to. When asked, and it was more of appreciation, I was able to accept it. But at first I just, I struggled with that. And I don't. I can't. I really don't know why. But like, as I got older, I'm like, yo, you should be proud of this. Like, you're probably their dad's age. Like. Like Trey Young. I played against Trey's dad in college. We played against Texas Tech when Darvin Ham broke the backboard. His dad was on that team against Carolina. Like, that's amazing. Yeah, so it's just like, accept that, like, you're doing something that a lot of people can't do or doesn't want to do or doesn't get the opportunity to do. So leading into my last year though, it was tough for the 43 year old guy to stay motivated to work out at the same time, like don't disrespect the game and don't work out. So I made sure I was ready to play and did all the work that I needed to do just to show, hey, 43 year old can keep up with you. Young, 18, 19, 20 year old and I enjoyed it. After a while.
- [28:34]
Brian Windhorst
You brought up Carolina. So I'm going to ask you something that I talked to Carolina people about and you just be 100% honest, please. So there is this concept that had Kobe Bryant gone to college, which it's moot because he didn't go to college, that he would have gone to Duke. He had this connection with Coach K and you know, he was sort of seen like somehow, you know, Rob Pelinka, who was his agent, you know, he had a lot of Duke guys like. But Kobe Bryant I know was not a Duke player. He was a North Carolina player.
- [29:06]
Vince Carter
And go back to one of his first interviews. The one thing he said is if he was going to college, he wanted to go to Carolina.
- [29:13]
Brian Windhorst
Okay, I didn't remember that. Okay.
- [29:14]
Vince Carter
He played to play against me because Kobe and I played AAU together. So he learned. He knew obviously who I was and how I played. And that was a barometer that he wanted. He was like, he said, I wanted to go to Carolina to play against him every day. So the Duke thing started to come around. Later on I started hearing, oh, I wanted to go to Duke. I'm like, there's an interview out there because of his high school coach who said he saw this high school player play left handed because he broke his right arm. I broke my arm in the game, but I continued to play the game left handed.
- [29:48]
Brian Windhorst
Wait, I don't know the story. Stop. Maybe it's legendary. Bobby, do you know the story?
- [29:52]
Bobby Marks
No, I don't. I've never heard this story.
- [29:54]
Brian Windhorst
Okay, we're going to have to stop. I need all the details. Start over and tell me the story. Tracy. I mean, I mean, Tracy. Vince, tell me this story.
- [30:03]
Vince Carter
So we're playing in a basketball turn in, I want to say Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a kid. I'm going to dunk. Kid runs up under me, I fall. Boom, hit the ground. My wrist is nasty.
- [30:17]
Brian Windhorst
Now you can happen to LeBron. That was LeBron's worst ever injury. He, he got undercut in a game and broke his wrist, same thing.
- [30:23]
Vince Carter
Did I fall? Get up. I'm playing. So I try to shoot. I was like, I can't. But I always just.
- [30:28]
Brian Windhorst
So you're looking down at your wrist and you see that your wrist is.
- [30:31]
Vince Carter
Like broken, like in pain. And every time I caught the ball and tried to bend it, I couldn't. So I was half. A little bit. Yeah. So then I go. And I'm like, you know, So I was like, I could, I could play. I'll play. So I played the game and I played. I'll never forget, Antoine Jameson was in that tournament. Shaheen Holloway was there. Jermaine O'Neal was there. Was on that team. He played for Eau Claire. I think that was his high school. And B.J. mackey at IRMO. So those guys.
- [30:58]
Brian Windhorst
Jermaine O'Neal was from South Carolina.
- [31:00]
Vince Carter
Yeah, for sure, South Carolina. So they all played in this, in this tournament and. But I played in the game and we're playing against the whole school and I'm shooting and scoring, driving, finishing left handed. I'm having the dribble, pick it up, shoot left handed just because. And I guess Kobe's high school coach, I think. Yeah. Saw this, heard about it, something and goes back and tells Kobe and that was his fuel, you know. You know, it doesn't need much to fuel anyway. And that's where that came from because right after that tournament, I took my visit to Chapel Hill with a, With a, with the arm sling and all. Everything cast the whole night. That's what. That was my visit to Carolina. So we did. My, My family's already at the, the, the tournament in South Carolina. So we just kept on going.
- [31:45]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah.
- [31:45]
Vince Carter
Yeah, that was it.
- [31:47]
Brian Windhorst
So I'm glad you told a story because, like, I just, you know, I didn't know Kobe well, but I, I knew Kobe and I know Duke and I know Carolina and Kobe. Kobe's Carol. Kobe is Jordan. He's not, you know, he's not one of these Duke guys. Come on. I'm so glad that you set the record on that.
- [32:05]
Vince Carter
Yeah, yeah. But I mean, I, I understand his admiration for Coach K. You know, I mean, he's all right.
- [32:10]
Brian Windhorst
No, I mean, of course that's not what it's about.
- [32:12]
Vince Carter
Like that kind of coach or whatever, but. I'm just kidding.
- [32:16]
Brian Windhorst
I mean.
- [32:18]
Vince Carter
But no, no, you got to say.
- [32:20]
Brian Windhorst
You won't hear any, you won't hear any objection over here. Yeah. So. So, Bobby, what was. How was life different when Vince became Annette in, In New Jersey?
- [32:29]
Bobby Marks
Well, I think more people came to games, that's for sure. I mean, I mean, you got to remember the Meadowlands, even when we even Jason in the trade in. In 2001, people weren't coming. Like we were having. I remember we played the then Seattle SuperSonics on us and we were like 10 and 3 at. This is in 2001 on a Saturday afternoon. We had 4, 000 people for the game.
- [32:51]
Vince Carter
That's crazy.
- [32:52]
Bobby Marks
So that's why when I said that, you know, you know, Vince, you know, you know, saved the organization and stuff, it was, you know, we had kind of. It was kind of a dead end. We were. Because Bruce Ratner had bought the team with the intent of moving to Brooklyn. The goal was to get to Brooklyn in like 2008.
- [33:09]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, he, he. He was a real estate guy who needed a team to. To use eminent domain because one of the things you can use eminent domain for is a sports arena. So he's like, all right, who's for sale? I can buy the Nets. I'll buy the Nets so I can put a sports arena here so I can build a real estate development. Is that summary? Is that a good summary?
- [33:29]
Bobby Marks
Yeah, I mean, and that's, that's the perfect summary. But the hard part was that the market eventually crash. We're, you know, we're in New Jersey for like, you know, forever. Not eight years, nine years and stuff. And.
- [33:40]
Vince Carter
Well, real quick, Bobby, before you go any further. So when I get traded there, we're doing appearances in 04 and 05, some in, in. In Jersey, but some in Brooklyn to. Starting to get. To create the buzz there at that point. So this is 2005. We're starting to go over there. And at the time, we weren't accepted. Bobby, you recall this and you can continue, but we weren't accepted in Brooklyn. They were like, man, go back to Jersey. They didn't want us there for doing appearances. Like, yeah, the, The. The Nets will come here soon. They're like, oh man, go back to Jersey. Like, it was like that. I was like, yo, this is crazy. This might not happen.
- [34:14]
Bobby Marks
Well, that. And then the, the. As Brian said, the eminent domain factor where they didn't want an arena there, like people were being displaced for a, for new arena. Go there. So it was that. It was like a really weird in between time as far as playing in New Jersey. Eyes on Brooklyn not getting there, eventually moving in, in 2012. I will say this though. You know, the, the end comes, right? We, We. You know, Jason, and it's. I was, I was talking to the team about this yesterday because we were talking about Jimmy Butler and everything. And, and I said, like, you know, what Jimmy did is like, no different. Like, you know, like people asked to be traded. I remember Jason asked to be traded in, in that 2007. 08 season here. We didn't have social media then, right? Like it didn't, wasn't blown up and everything like that. And I always tease Richard about this because I said, and I use, I use Vince as an example. I go, hey, Richard, we traded Vince to his, you know, home. You know, we sent him back to Orlando and, and I said, and we sent you to Milwaukee. And that was kind of the, you know, listen, once Jason got traded to Dallas in 2008, then that kind of became the end. You know, that team basically, you know, we tried to splinter it apart and, and everyone kind of went their separate ways. But for that period of. I said, as I said, for that period of four years, we had a really good team. The unfortunate thing was, is that we lost to the Miami team that went on the winning NBA championship in 06, and then the San Antonio LeBron team that lost to the Cleveland LeBron team that lost to San Antonio in the final.
- [35:54]
Brian Windhorst
It was a, it was a close six game series. I covered the series. It was a close six game.
- [35:57]
Bobby Marks
Well, even, even the Miami series just going back real won game one down there. We, we blew their doors off. And I remember it's. We come home one, one. And this is when marijuana testing was. You test positive for marijuana, you're, you know, and you're a repeater. You're done for like three games, right? Like, and I remember getting ready for game three and we're in our video shoot around in our video room and we get noticed that Cliff Robinson, rest in peace, had gotten suspended for Uncle Cliff violating the. The.
- [36:29]
Brian Windhorst
Didn't he open like a marijuana business after he retired?
- [36:32]
Vince Carter
He did, he did.
- [36:34]
Bobby Marks
And that was the end of that. And we wound up losing in. I think we lost in five games that series. But it was, Listen, it was as. We did as much as we could, you know, to try to piece it together. And I think, you know, Certainly without getting Vincent 4, we wouldn't have had, you know, this. The success we had in those three to four years.
- [36:53]
Brian Windhorst
That was, Those were great years though, because, you know, there was always a. But, you know, even though the arena was junkie, there was like always a buzz there. Like Jay Z started coming to games that helped and you know, like Gary Sussman, the PA announcer that's what I would always remember because he would, you know, call out the names and then he would. And if Jason Kidd would have the assist, he had this classic call. He would say, you know, what do you see? What do you used to, how did he used to phrase it for you, Vince, when you would score? He would say, he would say Vince Carter. And then he would pause for a second and he would go.
- [37:31]
Vince Carter
Yes he did.
- [37:32]
Brian Windhorst
Because he would always, you know, say when Jason had an assist and he would say it back really, really fast.
- [37:39]
Vince Carter
And suss brought like a unique, you know, way and excitement. It went from not that many fans to get fans in there because we became a I like factory J kid just doing what he does, throwing the ball out. Like I said, RJ and I trying to see who can get down there first. And it got to where JK's throwing the ball up in the air. You're seeing RJ try to go and then be. Try to go for it or off the backboard or just J Kid being J kid. So it became a thing and we started winning and, and, and more TV games and now you look in the stands and there's more people there and there's more excitement. So it was, it was cool to kind of see where it started and obviously where it ended. More Hoop Collective podcast after this.
- [38:28]
Bobby Marks
Since you're new to H R Block.
- [38:29]
Brian Windhorst
We'Ll look at your returns from the last three years for any money your.
- [38:32]
Bobby Marks
Last guy might have missed for free.
- [38:34]
Brian Windhorst
I could get money back from last year.
- [38:36]
Bobby Marks
You could.
- [38:36]
Brian Windhorst
We'll find any mistakes. Coulda really used that two years ago when I dated that mistake for five months. Don't leave money on the table.
- [38:44]
Vince Carter
Switch to H and R Block and.
- [38:45]
Brian Windhorst
Get a free second look review. Second look is included at no additional.
- [38:48]
Vince Carter
Cost with the purchase of tax preparation.
- [38:50]
Brian Windhorst
Results vary.
- [38:51]
Vince Carter
All tax situations are different.
- [38:52]
Brian Windhorst
Fees apply.
- [38:53]
Vince Carter
If you have us file an amended return.
- [38:57]
Brian Windhorst
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- [39:36]
Vince Carter
I like watching Shay. I Shay Gild is one guy that I'm, I'm a fan of I, I love the way he plays. He can dictate. There's a lot of guys. I, I love Anthony Edwards, his game, the way he plays. I'm, I'm not, I'm not a huge fan of now of him going away from the score that he is selling for the threes.
- [39:57]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah.
- [39:58]
Vince Carter
Because I think he has so much to offer and he can still shoot the three but, but he can set that up by his ability to get to the basket whenever he wants. So those are just a couple of guys. I mean there's a lot of guys. I enjoy watching the OKC Thunders team play. I love what, I love watching Boston and where they've come. I remember obviously those guys as young pups and what they're doing now. So there's a lot of guys. But those two in particular I'm enjoying watching.
- [40:24]
Brian Windhorst
So we've got, We've got a 40 year old in the league now with LeBron and then in a couple of months Chris Paul is going to turn 40 and we haven't had a 40 year old in the league in a while.
- [40:35]
Vince Carter
You. Well, you donis. Right.
- [40:37]
Brian Windhorst
Oh you Donna as well.
- [40:38]
Vince Carter
You died. Was the other one. Well, okay, play. I get it. I get it.
- [40:41]
Brian Windhorst
So you know, listen, I'm not, I'm not trying to get opposite you, Dallas. I mean I'm on TV with him now and I, I love it. By the way, I love working with Adonis.
- [40:49]
Vince Carter
He's great.
- [40:49]
Brian Windhorst
But you know, by the time he hit his 40th birthday, he had, he had a, he had a small role. Yeah, yeah. But you know, you know we got two 40 year old starters. How about that? It's been a while since we had a 40 year old starter. How hard is it now? Now you obviously were famous for morphing your game and like in all honesty, I mean this has been said a thousand times. It's not worth repeating. But like people should study your career and how you lengthen your career by becoming a different type of player and you know, not getting it to you. But what is it like to play in the NBA past your 40th birthday? Even when you're in phenomenal shape like those two guys are and you were.
- [41:29]
Vince Carter
What is it like? I honestly, I mean it's a badge of honor. I think when you hear like, like I said earlier, when you hear younger guys saying they look up to you or you played against their fathers, then it's like man, I'm old. But now it's like, but I'm still doing it like I played against your dad, now I'm playing against the son and still doing it. But I think, you know, when you've done it so long, LeBron for 22 plus years, because I, I know he will shatter that record coming up for sure. Because I'm asked all the time, you think he'll do it? Man, are you guys watching? Like, this guy, he has taken care of his body. But I, I think at that point, once you hit 40, once you get past, oh, I'm 40, like, I don't think we ever thought. And I'm gonna say we meaning them as well, because you could tell how they play. They don't think, yeah, I'm 40, I'm old. I mean, we throw it around in interviews, but when we're playing, it's just like, I'm still doing it. Now you know your limitations, what you can and can't do. But at the same time, LeBron is still taking off, challenging people at the rim. I wasn't afraid. I just didn't do it often. You just knew what you could do. So for me, I just said, all right, I still love playing the game like those two guys you mentioned. So how do I continue to do that? How do I stay in this league longer? Well, I had to kind of continue to get my rest, continue to put more work in. Had to get there a little earlier, had to stay a little later, all this and work on other aspects. I'm not going to have the ball in my hand like those two guys are still doing. So how can I still make my worth in the league? Well, I better be a damn good shooter. I need to make sure when I shoot the ball, it's automatic. I understood the game, so I'm a great ball mover, a great facilitator, I think, you know, I, I'm not a big plus minus guy for a lot of reasons, but. But, you know, my plus minus was good because I understood how to play the game. I could, you know, I could be another coach on the floor. I enjoyed that. So all the things that I still enjoyed about basketball, teaching, helping, playing, scoring, winning, obviously just competition. I still love and was willing to do whatever. So that's why playing at 40 didn't feel weird until I was. It was talked about.
- [43:44]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah. And by the way, so there's only three guys in history to play in over 1500 regular season games. Bobby, do you, I mean, Vince and LeBron are two. Do you know who the third one is, Bobby? Oh, little trivia corner. I don't know that Dirk Nowitzki and Vince played 22 seasons, which is the record, right? That's the record. Vince. 22 is the number.
- [44:04]
Vince Carter
Yeah. Yeah.
- [44:05]
Brian Windhorst
So this is LeBron's 22nd season, so he's going to tie you. But when you were 40, you played in 73 games. And I think like you were getting vote, like, you, you didn't win obviously, but you were like a vote getter for six man of the year. When you were 42, you played in 76 games. Your last year, you played in 60 games. And I don't know how many games you actually missed because the season obviously ended early because of COVID but you played in almost every game.
- [44:31]
Vince Carter
Yes. So, like, I'm gonna tell you something to that. And I, and, and I told Lloyd and I said, look, this whole load management thing, so, you know, the thing that, that became a thing, which, you know, was particularly weird for me because I played in the 90s where, you know, you know, it's like you're missing a game because of that. You know, that, that, that's to where we are now. So I told Lloyd, I said, look, I get it if you don't want to play me, but don't, don't sit me just because of load management. Because I knew how to take care of my body. I knew what needed to be done. So I get it. Organization, protecting players from themselves sometimes. But at the same time, I was always taught the responsibility of taking care of your body because it's my job. And I think sometimes we forget that. And it's gotten lost in translation over the past couple of years to where we are with load management. But I just, I told him, if I'm not, if I'm hurt and I can't play, they don't play me. But if I'm able to play, put me out there for whatever the amount of minutes you want to put me. But don't not play me just because you feel like, oh, your workload is up. Like, I don't have many years left. I'll worry about workload and all of that stuff later. Because that was the mentality back then. It's like, I'm fine, I'm fine. But you know, Bobby, they had to. The organizations had to save us from ourselves. When, you know, we're trying to go out there, when we really need to sit, then, you know, up top, we're like, no, there's no, no, no. Take the uniform, take the shoes. No. But now it's that you don't have to do that. It's like guys are doing it for you.
- [46:10]
Bobby Marks
Well, and I think that's the hardest thing too, Vince, is that, you know, when you go from, you go from Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New Jersey to Orlando and then did you go to Dallas? Right, from Orlando, what was the next stop?
- [46:23]
Vince Carter
Phoenix.
- [46:24]
Bobby Marks
Oh, Phoenix. You know, your role evolved, right? Your role changed, Right. You weren't the guy that they were looking for to score 27 and 28 like you became, particularly in Phoenix. Yeah, Like I remember you, you know, in Dallas, you know, like on those, like hitting a game winning shot in the corner in the playoffs. Right. Like as far as being a sixth man, accepting your role. I, and I think that, I think that becomes a little bit of a challenge too, certainly for players when they get, you know, when they get older to kind of change how they play as far as, except to a different role, coming off the bench and everything like that. And I, I always remember when you, when you mentioned about taking care of your body, I always remember, and this stands out for me the most is one morning in Philadelphia. This is post Vince. This is when we had Joe Johnson on our roster. And Joe is known to take care of his body. And I remember being in the lobby and him rolling in at like, you know, I think I was having coffee at like 6:30 in the morning and I was with somebody and, and they said to me, oh, we're in trouble. Joe's rolling at 6:30. No, we weren't in trouble. Joe was coming back from hot yoga, right. Like Joe, Joe knew how to take care of his body. Like that's how he played long into this league. And I think it's, you know, certainly, I mean, I think it's a, you know, you weren't just hanging on, right. Like you weren't just signing like a minimum and, or 10 day and like you didn't just hang on to get, you know, another contract and, and get your years of service and everything like that. You had, you, you were still, you know, a contributing member in this league here.
- [47:57]
Vince Carter
Yeah. And I want to say, you know, with that and there's a lot of guys like a Joe Johnson, like LeBron, CP3, and there's a laundry list of guys. What, I'm just speaking specifically older guys. I had a laundry list. I had a list of 10, 12 things that I, I needed to do every day. And I tell people this and they kind of, they're like, what, what, how did you do it? How were you able to play 20, 22 years? And, and, and all these things I Said, well, I stuck to the list. I had 12 things that I needed to do, and I always did those 12 things, whatever, you know, what they were. I didn't say, okay, today I don't feel like I'm just going to do 10 of them. Because eventually you started. You start cutting off two more and two more, then eventually you're just doing five or six of them. Then you're either injured or now you can't move or can't play. So there were. There were things I was. My willingness to do what it took to stay in the league or to play a game or to be around or to be a contributor was the most important thing. So I had that list and I stuck to it. And I think that's the, you know.
- [48:58]
Brian Windhorst
Some of the things on this list.
- [49:00]
Vince Carter
Whether it was rest, sleep, getting up, stretching early. So I stretched before I went to bed, and I stretched in the morning. That's where it started. Then I would get up, I would eat something so I have enough energy that would get over. And then I had another stretching regimen I would do with the trainer. I had to lift, get my shots up. This is game day. Get my shots up for shoot around, little small. Then I did the lift. Then I would go home. I would try to eat something, take my nap. I had to make sure. I made sure. I. I took my nap. So I can get it an hour to two hours in between that window, depending on time. And then I would eat something, go to the arena. I always got there three and a half to four hours. Well, three and a half hours early. And I will usually see Kobe. I would usually see Ray Allen. Those are some of the guys I would always see. And every arena that I would go into, my. When I'm working out, the dancers are still practicing.
- [50:04]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, yeah.
- [50:04]
Vince Carter
Getting ready for the game. That's. That's when I was in there because I wanted to get my shots in, do all the things, you know, it takes a little while for the older guy to get going. And that was kind of my thing. Once I finished shooting, I would go in. Now, I start by stretching treatment, if I needed treatment or whatever I needed to do. So those things were important to me that I had to do. Every time. If I skipped some of those, those. Those I wouldn't have been able to.
- [50:29]
Brian Windhorst
There's a lot of stretching in there, Bobby. That's what.
- [50:31]
Vince Carter
That's a lot of stretching heat packs. When cryo, the cryo chamber came around, that was the thing. I did cryo after, shoot around this is the back end when we started to have it.
- [50:44]
Brian Windhorst
What's worse, the cryo chamber of the ice bath. I mean, what was.
- [50:48]
Vince Carter
So I did cryo chamber. I only did ice bath for bruises. Well, early in my year it was only ice bath, so I did that. So that was tough. I used to watch D. Brown and, well, D. Brown and Doug Christie. D. Brown used to get in there, he's a young fella. And Del Curry, I played with them and he's like, young fella, you should get in this thing. We used to make fun, like, man, that's you guys, whatever. As I got. And I used to watch Doug Christie get in the cold tub to his neck every day. I'm like, yo, you're insane. And then as I got older, I'm like, ah, the cold tub. And I could. It would revive my legs. And then that's what the cryo chamber started doing. So I did. I started to leave the cold chamber and cryo became the thing just for. I felt like young again. And then I would do cold tub just for bruising, deep soreness, stuff like that. So that was kind of my routine. And then by the time the game started, there's sometimes Wendy, I was still rushing, getting, you know, your checklist, stuffing in and get done. But I had to do it and I was willing to do it still.
- [51:52]
Brian Windhorst
Bobby, he should have a class that he like overcharges like 10 year veterans to say Vince Carter's class, how to become a. For 10 year veterans on how to become a 20 year veteran.
- [52:03]
Bobby Marks
Yeah, once you, once you hit 30, you have to enter.
- [52:06]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [52:07]
Vince Carter
I've gotten some conversation, some calls. Some guys is asking and you know, they hear these things. And the number one thing you, you picked up on it. I said stretching was the thing for me, you know, because we play the game like bulk is. Is cool. You want to be strong, but you still need elongate. You need to. To have limber and feel. You don't want to be tight in this game, like running so much and cutting and stuff. So that was super important for me. And Dell Curry gave me this many, many years ago. He's like, hey, take 10 minutes before you go to bed and stretch. And then when you wake up, takes 10 minutes. Take 10 minutes aside to just stretch and get, you know, and. And you want to be limber as possible. I was like, okay. And then now that I don't do it as much, I feel a difference.
- [52:48]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, I remember. I don't want to speak for LeBron because maybe he had a different mentality. But his LeBron's second year. Alan Henderson, remember Allen Henderson, he played in Indiana. He had a long NBA career. He was a bit.
- [52:58]
Vince Carter
I remember Atlanta as well.
- [53:00]
Brian Windhorst
Atlanta, yeah. He would do this band stretch work and he was, he was maniacal about it. You know, he was probably in his 12th or year or whatever, but he was in his mid-30s. And I do think LeBron started stretching more like after he was around Alan Henderson. Now, LeBron might hear that and say, no, no, no, no, it wasn't Alan Henderson. It was this or I. But I watched Alan Henderson stretch and then I noticed LeBron stretching more. So and that was when LeBron was like 20. So I do think there's.
- [53:27]
Vince Carter
It's huge. And you say that to young kids now I have young kids and I'm like, yeah, stress stretch us. He's like, oh my gosh, no, no, no. But it keeps you from, from getting hurt. And like you say, it's just, it's a lot of advantages to an athlete to stretch because of, you know, how much we move, run, stop, cut. You want it to be as loose and limber as possible. And you know, now that we're having this conversation, I'm going to start again. And hopefully the next time we talk, I'm like, you know what, I feel a difference because it's proof in the pudding.
- [53:58]
Brian Windhorst
If you take one thing away from this stretch, 100%.
- [54:02]
Vince Carter
Girls, men, women, everyone implement that into your every day.
- [54:06]
Brian Windhorst
Thank you so much for your time. Congratulations on your honor. Enjoy this week. Yes. And you know, we've worked many shows together. It's great to be doing something with you again. Enjoy your time at Turner. You're doing great. Thank you, Bobby. Vince Carr, you did sign him to a contract extension. I don't know how that negotiation went.
- [54:24]
Bobby Marks
I think it was pretty easy. There was no, There was no. It was a different error back then. We didn't have the apron. We didn't have. I don't even know if he had to like, I think the luxury tax was like dollar for dollar, maybe.
- [54:36]
Brian Windhorst
Do you remember, I have it in front of me. Do you remember how money, how much it was? It was a four year contract. He opted out. He opted out of his contract. Probably no rules were broken. I think it was four years and 60 million. Four years and like 60 something million.
- [54:51]
Bobby Marks
I remember the. I still remember the. I still remember the press conference when we announced it and everything like that. I'll pull it out. I got it right here. So this is you should have gotten 2,000.
- [55:02]
Vince Carter
I know. I did ask.
- [55:07]
Bobby Marks
There you go. Five years, 80 million.
- [55:09]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, five years, 80. Okay. It was better. Yeah, he opted out. And I'm sure there was no talking before July 1st. I'm sure it was all on the up and up.
- [55:19]
Bobby Marks
Five years, you know, it's, you know, it's crazy. Vince's salary was basically his first year salary is the equivalent of the non tax mid level exception for next year. How about that?
- [55:32]
Brian Windhorst
Basically the average player salary. You were on the average.
- [55:37]
Vince Carter
Average. Unbelievable.
- [55:38]
Brian Windhorst
Should have played. You should have played 30 years. Come on, Vince, what's the matter?
- [55:42]
Vince Carter
Hey, maybe I'll make a comeback.
- [55:44]
Brian Windhorst
I'm not ruling it out. Thank you for your time. Enjoy this weekend. Take care.
- [55:48]
Vince Carter
Thank you, man. Thank you.
- [56:07]
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