Carter spent more than four seasons as a player for the Nets while they were still based in New Jersey. Between 2005 and 2007, he played a key role in leading the Nets to three straight postseason appearances, together with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. The former lottery pick was packing the stat sheet with an average of 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 steals per game. He didn’t, however, shoot consistently enough to advance New Jersey past the second round, finishing at just 41.9 percent from the field.
Carter’s tenure with the Toronto Raptors will live on in history. “Air Canada,” who was acquired in a draft day trade, rose to prominence fast. He was chosen an All-Star in just his second season and stayed that way for the next seven seasons.
As is typically the case, with time, wear and tear took a big toll on his output. The Florida native’s career was in decline and his renowned agility was gradually vanishing by the time he signed with the Orlando Magic.
Nevertheless, he was lifted by his playmaking and scoring prowess in his later years. He assisted the Dallas Mavericks in making it to the NBA Playoffs as he matured into an elder statesman and took on a sixth man position with the team. The same would apply to his final three postseason runs with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Carter was not entirely successful in achieving his goals. During his 11 postseason runs, he failed to win a ring. Despite being in the top 10 of the MVP voting in his second season, he was never the winner.
Still, he had a great start to his career, being selected twice for the All-NBA team in his first three seasons and winning NBA Rookie of the Year (1999). Being an eight-time All-Star and one of the most successful players to ever play in the league, he is currently headed for the Hall of Fame.
Therefore, it stands to reason that the Nets would retire his number.
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