Brooklyn Nets: Vince Carter should be next great Net to make the Hall of Fame

Brooklyn Nets great Vince Carter has had such long career that it almost makes his Nets career seem forgettable. However, that is far from the case. In fact, he is the next great Nets player to likely go to the Hall of Fame.

The Brooklyn (then New Jersey) Nets and Vince Carter had a great run. There is little reason to argue that. Carter came to the Nets in the tail end of their dominance of the early 2000s but was still around for three playoff seasons with the team.

Carter only played five seasons with the Nets. But, since his career has been so long that does not feel like a lot, but it is.

With his once right-hand man Jason Kidd set to get inducted into the Hall of Fame officially on Friday night, it is time to think who the next great Net to get inducted will be.

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The answer has to start with Vince Carter.

Carter is still an active player so this is still a while down the road. Also, there will be players who once played for the Nets, or spent time with the Nets who will be in well before Vince.

However, it is tough to consider those players as great Nets players. Kevin Garnett? No way. Paul Pierce? No. They will see the Hall before Carter but are not better Nets.

Carter was not only in the prime of his career when he played in New Jersey, he was part of the teams that kept them afloat.

Before the back-to-back Finals runs, the Nets were a borderline joke. That is not secret. However, when Carter came in the middle of the 2004-2005 season he helped the Nets stay relevant.

With Carter, the Nets went from Finals losses before he got there to three straight playoff appearances after getting him. That is the kinda run and dominance the Nets needed to remain an important NBA team. Now, those days seem long forgotten but are not.

Carter is not only a great Net because he did his job and kept them a contender for a few seasons, he also made three All-Star teams as a member of the Nets.

That is only two-less then what Kidd did as a member of the Nets.

But, the real argument here is that Carter should go to the Hall of Fame. He should go to the Hall of Fame because of what he accomplished and where he did so.

Carter might have never won an NBA championship, not yet at least, but what he did for the small markets of Toronto and New Jersey helped grow the game in ways never thought imaginable.

His highlight reel dunks and eight overall all-star selections are great, but the fact that he was noticed while doing all of it as a Raptor or Net respectively is all that much more impressive.

Overall, Carter’s longevity and people eventually realizing how great he truly was will get him a Hall of Fame nod.

It is tough to see what team people will remember him most for. What he did as a Raptor is extraordinary.

Regardless of that, he is still a great Net all-time compared to a lot of other Nets players. It might have not lasted as long or ended as impactful as others, but you can’t write the history of the Nets without Vince Carter.

One day, when the time comes, all Nets fans will be able to rejoice to the sounds of Vince getting his name called and will be happy as they watch him get enshrined into basketball immortality.

Next. What is Kidd's legacy with the Nets?. dark

After all, he is one of the few Nets who truly had a lot of success with the team.

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