Vince May Still Land In Big Apple

In the summer of 2005, before the Raptors dealt Vince Carter to the Nets, Carter caused a commotion by telling his friends he would like to be traded to the Knicks. If that feeling still stands, the Knicks could have a shot at landing Carter as a free agent this summer if he, as expected, opts out of his contract.

All the speculation has been about Carter, a Daytona Beach, Fla., native, signing with the under-the-cap Orlando Magic. Carter, who turned 30 last month, lives in the exclusive Isleworth community in the summer, next door to Shaquille O'Neal.

But if Carter has any lust for the Big Apple and the Nets don't want to lose him for nothing, a sign-and-trade with the Knicks isn't out of the question.

It's clear Nets brass Rod Thorn and Ed Stefanski have the hots for Channing Frye, whom the Knicks deem expendable because of the emergence of David Lee. And there's been indications they also like rookie Renaldo Balkman, who was not available during their recent talks.

There's a sense the Nets would rather let Carter go to Orlando for nothing than trade him across the river. The last Nets-Knicks deal was 25 years ago in the Len Elmore compensation package.

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Isiah Thomas didn't go all-out trying to get Vince Carter at the trading deadline, but it sounds as if the Knicks' president will try to make another run for the Nets' superstar come July 1.

"We can talk about that in the summer," a beaming Thomas said yesterday on the eve of the big showdown tonight against Carter's Nets at the Meadowlands.

Chances of a deal being worked out between the two area rivals are remote, as Thomas admitted when talking about his bid to acquire Carter from Toronto in 2004, before the Nets traded for him.

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brooklyn_baller said:

It would be good for the Knicks to get Carter. I hope Isiah will play smart and trade someone that is not really helping us for Carter. Somone like Francis or Quentin.

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