Vince Carter Tips off Sonics on a play **Thats fucked Up**
Vince Carter may have got his wish and escaped the NBA's Canadian franchise, but is there more to Raptor's GM Rob Babcock's decision to pull the trigger than meets the eye?
According to Tacoma News Tribune writer Frank Hughes the Carter trade came less than 48 hours after Babcock was interviewed for a story about Carter’s actions against the Seattle SuperSonics Nov. 19.
Three Sonics players have alleged that Carter intentionally tipped off a play during the final minute of the Raptors’ 101-94 loss to the Sonics in Toronto.
With 29 seconds remaining in that game and the Sonics leading 97-90, the Raptors called a timeout. After returning to the court, Carter lined up along the edge of the key. He was facing the Sonics’ bench with his hands on his knees.
According to a member of the Sonics, before the play began, Carter said directly to the Seattle bench, “It’s a flare. It’s a flare.� Two other members of the Sonics confirmed that Carter told the Sonics bench that the Raptors were running the flare play.
Inbounding the ball above the Sonics bench, the Raptors then immediately ran a flare play for Carter.
According to one member of the Sonics, the bench reacted immediately to what Carter said, with Sonics players saying, “Did you hear that? Did you see that? That’s (expletive) up.�
Another member of the Sonics said he discussed the play with a coach after the game, and the coach said, “If you ever do that, I’ll run you out of the league.�
Allen, who was guarding Carter, said: “I didn’t hear it, but that’s what those other guys were saying (after the game), Reggie (Evans) and those other guys. But all I said was, ‘Why would he do that?’ I don’t know why he would do that.�
According to Hughes, when asked to detail the incident Evans chose not to discuss specifics.
“I don’t want to get involved in that stuff, man,� Evans said. “That stuff is deep. I ain’t scared of Vince or nothing like that, but that is between him and his conscience. I ain’t saying it did happen or it didn’t happen. I’ll leave that for Ray. I’ll let Ray do all that type of talking, man.�
“For real. I’ll let Ray open his mouth, he is the one ... who got into it with Kobe (Bryant), so I will just leave that alone. I don’t want to get into no beef with nobody.�
Carter, reached through Raptors spokesman Jim LaBumbard, responded, “I’m not going to comment on something as ridiculous as that.�
Babcock was reached on Wednesday evening and said: “I hadn’t heard that. I would hope that would not be the case, but I am not aware of that. If he did do that, I would be quite upset with that. But I don’t know anything about that. It is nothing I heard.�
“That’s the type of thing that, if I was aware of it, we would deal with it internally, and we certainly would deal
with it. But I am not aware of that.�
“If something comes up to me like that, and it is solid, and it is obvious that it did happen, we would take care of it internally.�
Vince Carter may have got his wish and escaped the NBA's Canadian franchise, but is there more to Raptor's GM Rob Babcock's decision to pull the trigger than meets the eye?
According to Tacoma News Tribune writer Frank Hughes the Carter trade came less than 48 hours after Babcock was interviewed for a story about Carter’s actions against the Seattle SuperSonics Nov. 19.
Three Sonics players have alleged that Carter intentionally tipped off a play during the final minute of the Raptors’ 101-94 loss to the Sonics in Toronto.
With 29 seconds remaining in that game and the Sonics leading 97-90, the Raptors called a timeout. After returning to the court, Carter lined up along the edge of the key. He was facing the Sonics’ bench with his hands on his knees.
According to a member of the Sonics, before the play began, Carter said directly to the Seattle bench, “It’s a flare. It’s a flare.� Two other members of the Sonics confirmed that Carter told the Sonics bench that the Raptors were running the flare play.
Inbounding the ball above the Sonics bench, the Raptors then immediately ran a flare play for Carter.
According to one member of the Sonics, the bench reacted immediately to what Carter said, with Sonics players saying, “Did you hear that? Did you see that? That’s (expletive) up.�
Another member of the Sonics said he discussed the play with a coach after the game, and the coach said, “If you ever do that, I’ll run you out of the league.�
Allen, who was guarding Carter, said: “I didn’t hear it, but that’s what those other guys were saying (after the game), Reggie (Evans) and those other guys. But all I said was, ‘Why would he do that?’ I don’t know why he would do that.�
According to Hughes, when asked to detail the incident Evans chose not to discuss specifics.
“I don’t want to get involved in that stuff, man,� Evans said. “That stuff is deep. I ain’t scared of Vince or nothing like that, but that is between him and his conscience. I ain’t saying it did happen or it didn’t happen. I’ll leave that for Ray. I’ll let Ray do all that type of talking, man.�
“For real. I’ll let Ray open his mouth, he is the one ... who got into it with Kobe (Bryant), so I will just leave that alone. I don’t want to get into no beef with nobody.�
Carter, reached through Raptors spokesman Jim LaBumbard, responded, “I’m not going to comment on something as ridiculous as that.�
Babcock was reached on Wednesday evening and said: “I hadn’t heard that. I would hope that would not be the case, but I am not aware of that. If he did do that, I would be quite upset with that. But I don’t know anything about that. It is nothing I heard.�
“That’s the type of thing that, if I was aware of it, we would deal with it internally, and we certainly would deal
with it. But I am not aware of that.�
“If something comes up to me like that, and it is solid, and it is obvious that it did happen, we would take care of it internally.�
