Knicks nearly traded for Vince Carter, James Dolan reveals why they didn’t

James Dolan, the executive chairman of the New York Knicks, recently revealed on the “Roommates Show” podcast hosted by Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, that he regrets not completing a trade that would have brought Vince Carter to the Knicks. According to Dolan, the Knicks’ medical team advised against the trade, citing a supposed 90 percent severed Achilles tendon in Carter that would not hold up.

Dolan humorously mentioned that he was waiting for Carter’s Achilles tendon to rupture, but it never did, as Carter went on to have several successful years in the NBA. Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Dolan sarcastically remarked, “Yup, we certainly dodged a bullet there, didn’t we.”

The Knicks owner did not specify when the potential trade for Carter would have taken place. However, he noted that the decision not to proceed with the trade was based on the medical advice regarding Carter’s injury.

Carter, a Basketball Hall of Famer, eventually was traded from the Toronto Raptors to the New Jersey Nets in 2004. During his time with the Nets, Carter played over 370 games and led the team to the postseason multiple times. He holds the franchise record for single-season points and ranks third in total points in the Nets’ NBA history.

In a video produced by the Nets reflecting on the trade that brought Carter to the team, former vice president of public relations Gary Sussman recalled Carter’s surprise at the return the Raptors received in the deal. The trade was also questioned by then-Knicks head coach Lenny Wilkens, who believed that the Nets had given up a lot in exchange for Carter.

Earlier this year, the Nets retired Carter’s No. 15 jersey during a game against the Miami Heat, honoring his contributions to the team. Despite the missed opportunity for the Knicks to acquire Carter, the veteran player went on to have a successful career in the NBA, proving the Knicks’ medical team wrong about his Achilles tendon.