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Vince Carter: no need for ‘third star’ on Nets ... they may already have one

By Net Income
Brooklyn Nets v Atlanta Hawks Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Vince Carter has inserted himself into two of the biggest debates among fans and pundits alike: Should the Nets go for a third star? and Who’s the likely starter at the 5 for the Nets next year.

In an interview with Kristian Winfield, the former Net who finished his record-setting career this season says the Nets don’t need a “third star.” He thinks they have one and believes that star can be DeAndre Jordan.

VC reasons that a “third star” could have affect on team chemistry which he says a very underrated element of success in the NBA.

“I just feel like you have to find the right pieces if you’re gonna go get a third scorer,” Carter said. “If you’re gonna go get three guys who really demand the ball, that gets tough after a while. One if not two guys of your Big 3 tend to become unhappy sometimes. If they buy into that, then it’s a possibility. If they don’t, then a Big 3 doesn’t work. You just have three big names who really can’t co-exist because they all want to be alpha dogs. I think that’s the biggest thing. You have to bring a Big 3 that can coexist and complement each other.”

Instead, he said the Nets should work with what they have and specifically said Jordan could be a “star” in a non-traditional sense, that is, not just because of his scoring. He thinks that DJ will be more effective playing with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

“You’ve gotta be careful. It’s a slippery slope when you’re putting guys together,” Carter told The Daily News. “I feel like you could have a third star in somebody like DeAndre Jordan who can shine. He’s not somebody who’s gonna get a lot of touches, but what does he do? He puts a lot of pressure on the defense going to the rim.

“I feel like a guy like DeAndre Jordan, somebody like that putting pressure on the rim. It’s not enough basketballs out there if you put three big names out there on the floor, so it takes a lot to think about.”

Moreover, Carter compared the Nets roster next season and the Lakers this season and thought Nets could be better equipped.

“I want to see them work together because now I kind of look at them like Anthony Davis and LeBron James. If Kevin Durant is rolling and a team sends the double, well guess who gets the ball now? Kyrie Irving,” he said laughing. “And then you have a bunch of shooters and a bunch of young guys who play hard. I think because they have a lot of talent, it’s going to allow them to play more freely.”

In other words, if a team can take the ball out of Durant or Irving’s hands, it will still have to deal with Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie or Joe Harris.

“You can’t just say, ‘hey we’re gonna let somebody else beat us’ when Spencer Dinwiddie is the other guy getting the ball and creating in one-on-ones,” Carter said. “Or Joe Harris is the weak-side guy coming out of the double team getting 3s. Or the young guy out of Michigan. That’s what I’m saying. You now create opportunities for these two superstars, elite superstars to be great while everybody else can have the opportunity to shine as well.”

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