Looking at the Vinsanity in Orlando

DID YOU SEE??????????????? VC????????????????

Half-Man, Half-Amazing, Air Canada, Wince Carter, the Tin-Man. Call him what you want, few other players in the league have captured our hearts and imaginations quite like Vince Lamar Carter. From the electrifying early years in Toronto to the maligned years in New Jersey, Vince has transformed himself from a flashy finisher to a surprisingly underrated all-around player. And now, he's bringing him game back home, to the Orlando Magic.

Sure, Hedo made Orlando great. His length, range, ball-handling, and play-making ability made him a tough matchup (as Cleveland found out) and helped make Orlando a fairly unorthodox team. But now with Hedo playing up North, and Vince taking over, Orlando has found itself a more athletic and potent scorer. Vince actually shot better than Hedo from beyond the arc last season (.385 compared to .356) and scored 20.8 points compared to Hedo's 16.8 ppg. Of course, neither player is known to be defensive stalwarts, Vince seems to be the more able defensive player, if only for his athletic skill.

Vince, known for not wanting to be "the man", won't have to carry the load by himself in Orlando. With scorers like Lewis and Nelson around him (not to mention the dunk-tastic Dwight Howard), Vince will be free to do his thing for most of the game while being given the ball in late-clock/game scenarios. Furthermore, many of us expect Carter to be enthused; playing for a championship contender in your home state is a great reason to bring it every night.

Only time will tell how this move works out for Orlando. Losing Courtney Lee, a promising young guard who looks to be a solid contributor for years to come in this league, is a definite shame. But how can you pass up an 8 time all-star with career averages of 23ppg, 4apg, and 5rpg with plenty left in the tank (as seen by his recent showing in the UNC alumni game)?