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The New Jersey Nets have acquired five-time NBA All-Star guard/forward Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for center Alonzo Mourning, center/forward Aaron Williams, forward Eric Williams and two first round draft picks, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today.

“We are very excited to add a player of Vince's caliber to the Nets roster,” said Thorn. “He is a proven All-Star who brings a unique dynamic to any team of which he is a member. Vince's ability to run the floor fits in very well with our desired style of play, and his ability to create his own shot will elevate the productivity of our halfcourt offense.”

Five-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter comes to the Nets with career numbers of 24.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.33 spg and 1.03 bpg in 403 games over seven NBA seasons. The 6’6” guard/forward was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2001, the All-NBA Third Team in 2000, was the NBA Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie First Team in 1999 and was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team in each of the past five seasons. Carter has been voted as a starter in the All-Star Game for the past four seasons (did not play in 2002 due to injury) and is currently the leading vote getter among Eastern Conference forwards (619,959) for selection to the 2005 All-Star Game. A member of Team USA, Carter won gold in both the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, as well as the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. In 20 games with the Raptors this season, Carter has averages of 15.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg.

Mourning, who signed with New Jersey as a free agent on July 16, 2004, has played in a total of 30 games with the Nets, averaging 9.4 ppg 7.4 rpg. After playing in 12 games during the 2003-04 season, Mourning was forced to stop playing basketball due to focal glomerulosclerosis. Mourning then underwent kidney transplant surgery on December 19, 2003, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2003-04 season. In his comeback this season, Mourning played in 18 games with New Jersey, averaging 10.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg while shooting 45.3% from the field and ranking ninth in the NBA with 2.28 bpg. In his 12th NBA season, Mourning posts career marks of 19.8 ppg 9.6 rpg and 2.96 bpg over 652 games. Mourning is a seven-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and has earned First Team All-NBA honors once, Second Team All-NBA honors once and First Team All-Defensive honors twice.

Aaron Williams played in 336 games with New Jersey after signing as a free agent on August 10, 2000. In his four-plus years with the Nets, Aaron averaged 7.2 ppg and 4.7 rpg. Currently in his 11th NBA season, Williams has career averages of 6.5 ppg and 4.2 rpg while shooting 49.1% from the field in 576 games played.

Eric Williams signed with the Nets on August 6, 2004. In just 21 games with New Jersey, Eric was second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.6 ppg while pulling down 4.5 rpg and shooting 47% from the field. Currently in his 10th NBA season, Williams holds career numbers of 9.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg in 575 games played.

The two first round selections sent to Toronto were originally acquired from Denver as part of a trade made this past summer. The draft picks include Philadelphia’s first round pick in 2005, protected 1-8 or 2006, protected 1-5 or 2007, unprotected and Denver’s first round pick in 2006, protected 1-5, 2007, protected 1-2, 2008, unprotected.

“This trade accomplishes a number of things that will help us now and in the future,” expressed Raptors General Manager Rob Babcock. “In Aaron and Eric Williams we are acquiring two character players who are tough, defensive-minded players. They will improve our defense and rebounding, and they fit the philosophy that we’re establishing in Toronto."

“The first round picks set us up well for the future. This trade gives us some financial flexibility now and in the future."

“The third aspect of this trade is Alonzo Mourning. We understood going into this trade the health ramifications pertaining to Alonzo. We made the trade knowing that his health is such that he may never play for us. If he gets healthy, we’d welcome him playing for us. This is a good trade for us without Alonzo, but it would be an added bonus should his health permit him to play.”