Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets have the framework in place
for a four-year contract that guarantees the All-Star more than $60
million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.
Word of the deal came Sunday, though the person spoke on
condition of anonymity because under league rules the agreement can
not be announced until July 11, the first day free agents can
sign.
A day earlier the Nets announced Carter had opted out of the
final year of a contract that would've paid him $16.3 million next
season. Team officials, though, had said they were optimistic the
30-year-old swingman, who will be entering his 10th season, would
return to New Jersey.
Since the playoffs ended, Carter has been practicing at the
team's facility in East Rutherford, and he also had invited
teammate Nenad Krstic to visit his Orlando, Fla., home this week to
practice together. And Bruce Ratner, the team's owner, has been a
strong supporter of Carter and has said he wanted him resigned.
Carter and the Nets had been talking about a contract for the
past month.
Gary Sussman, a team spokesman, did not immediately return a
message left Sunday night seeking details of the agreement.
However, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported on its Web site Sunday
that the deal guarantees Carter $61.8 million over four seasons,
with the team holding an option for a fifth year.
Kurt Schoeppler, Carter's agent, has not returned telephone
calls to his Cleveland office since the negotiations started, and
he did not return a message left Sunday.
Carter averaged team-highs of 25.2 points in the regular season
and 22.3 for the postseason. However, he shot less than 40 percent
from the field during the playoffs and made several big
mistakes.
Carter turned the ball over in the closing seconds of Game 4 of
the Eastern Conference semifinal against Cleveland with the Nets
down two points and 2-1 in the series. He also was somewhat of a
no-show for the deciding Game 6, scoring 11 points while having
more turnovers (five) than baskets (four).
The other potential free agent the Nets would like to re-sign up
is center Mikki Moore, who took over the starting job after Krstic
was lost in December with a knee injury.
Moore averaged career-bests of 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while
leading the league in field goal percentage at .609.
(China Daily via AP July 2, 2007)