[TimesPicayune] Carter/Davis deal bad for Hornets
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Carter/Davis deal bad for Hornets
Saturday, September 18, 2004
John DeShazier
Uh-uh.
That's the best answer that can be given to any thought of a
Baron Davis-for-Vince Carter swap. Trades are about trying to
obtain equal value for the player being peddled, and sending
Davis from the Hornets to Toronto for Carter has all the
makings of a steal for the Raptors.
So, despite fan forums and discussions in local bars, such a
consideration isn't even a blip on the radar screen for the
Hornets.
Of course, it sounds sexy. Both of the All-Stars are
disgruntled. Davis hasn't gone as far as Carter in his demands,
saying through his agent that he feels the Hornets have not
done enough to win in the Western Conference and a trade might
be an option. Carter has outright declared he wants out of
Toronto.
Considering the players' star power, a one-for-one deal is a
natural in the NBA rumor mill. And since the NBA requires total
salaries in a deal come close to matching, it's one of the few
deals the two teams could make and win league approval.
Carter is one of the marquee attractions in the league, a
highlight waiting to happen. Davis isn't far behind. He might
not be as well-known, but anyone who understands the game knows
the kind of commodity Davis is as a premier point guard/scorer,
able to create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates.
But the Hornets still are better off with a less-than-happy Davis
than an ecstatic Carter. Because as great as Carter is and can be,
his name and the word "reliable" are not often mentioned in the
same sentence.
The only time you hear the word "toughness" connected to Carter is
when someone is talking about his lack of it.
And he has skipped out of the leadership role in Toronto as
vehemently as Davis appears to have passed on it in New Orleans.
Their play still has been brilliant, often bordering on superb.
They just seem to have no interest in taking over when it comes
to being the voice, face and conscience of a franchise.
But at least Davis will shake off minor, and sometimes major,
injuries in order to show up for work. He'll wrap it, bandage it,
soak it, have surgery on it, place a sleeve on it, ice it down or
whatever else needs to be done in order to suit up and play. He
won't shrink from the moment, no matter the size of the game, and
no one can accuse him of doing otherwise.
Davis' shot selection can be criticized, his maturity can be
questioned, the counsel he receives can be pilloried. But his
heart, desire and toughness stack up favorably against anyone's
in the league. Full speed, three-quarters speed or half-speed,
Davis rarely disappoints as a player.
Meanwhile, Carter has had more questions surrounding his heart
than the tin man.
He hops off the court with an injury that sounds minor, and it
takes him three weeks or a couple of months to return. He tweaks
something, and if he doesn't immediately have to shut down, he
doesn't seem to last more than a week or so. You wait for him to
use all that ability to strap his team to his back and carry it
for more than two or three games, and he buckles under the burden.
Davis can create the highlight stuff, but just as well, he can
be the reason a teammate is a highlight. Great point guards can't
be created and rarely can they be replaced -- unless, of course,
it's by another very-good-to-great point guard.
Sure, Carter for Davis sounds like a decent fit, sounds sexy,
sounds like the kind of star-for-star deal in which each team wins.
But it would be a bad deal..
Carter for Davis?
Uh-uh.
. . . . . . .
John DeShazier can be reached at jdeshazier@timespicayune.com or
(504) 826-3410.
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