Vince Carter experienced every role the league had to offer in his 22-year NBA career. Once hailed as the game’s most electrifying athlete during his prime with the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets, with whom he played from 1998 to 2009, Carter eventually embraced the realities of aging.
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Yet even as his physical gifts declined, Vinsanity remained a valuable asset, relying on his basketball IQ and veteran savvy to stay effective. He clearly understood how to leverage his experience to remain relevant in the game for more than two decades and contribute constructively to the team’s cause.
Carter sees similar potential in the current iteration of the Warriors, stating that they hold a comparable edge over their competition. When asked about the aging core — Stephen Curry at 37, Jimmy Butler at 36, and Draymond Green at 35 — he didn’t write them off as past their prime.
Instead, Carter shared how the Warriors can leverage their superior knowledge of the game to outsmart their opponents. Similar to how he leveraged his experience as a player.
Even in the twilight of their careers, each member of the Dubs’ Big Three is still capable of performing at a high level. However, Carter knows they can’t do it all themselves.
“They have an advantage because of knowledge. We always look at age and think, old. We think, can’t do it. Will they do it? Can they do it? This, this, but look at the knowledge,” the Raptors legend said on Dubs Talk. As a player who helped teams deep into his career, Carter knows exactly the advantage Golden State possesses.
“Playing in that mid-to-late 30s, maybe I didn’t jump as high, [or] run as fast as some of the other young guys. But my knowledge for the game, I can outsmart guys,” Carter claimed. “You can have all the athleticism and ability, but we know what those guys you just named can do.”
A trio of aging stars won’t be enough to catapult the Warriors back to contention status, no matter how much knowledge they have, though. Carter believes that for this version of the Dubs to be successful, they need a mixture of youth and experience.
“So you have the veteran presence in the locker room, which a lot of teams die for. They have that. Now, you have to put the young guys around that to guide them,” Carter explained. “You can’t expect those guys to do it every night. You shouldn’t, right?”
Carter doesn’t think the Warriors’ veteran stars should be burdened with carrying the team through the regular season. Instead, he sees their role as guiding and developing the younger talent to get them ready for the playoffs.
Now, the most pressing issue for the Warriors is bringing in that young talent. Jonathan Kuminga could return to the team, but his status remains uncertain as he continues to search for a more lucrative contract.
The talented forward isn’t the Dubs’ most pressing concern, though. Winning is. At this point in the careers of Curry, Green, and Butler, nothing matters more than chasing one more ring.
