NBA Rumors: Former Slam Dunk Champion Wants To Join Heat

Vince Carter is on the verge of setting an NBA record if he is able to sign up with another franchise next season. After suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks last season, the 42-year-old made it known that he intends to play one more season before finally calling it a career. The question now is which team would pick him up.

As mentioned in a previous post, playing out his last NBA season could make sense with the Toronto Raptors. Ironically, that is the same team currently playing in the 2018-19 NBA Finals opposite the Golden State Warriors. The charges of head coach Nick Nurse currently hold a 2-1 edge over the injury-hit Dubs.

Assuming the Raptors to go on to win the 2018-19 NBA title, most of the players on the roster are likely to want to stay. Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry have been among the top names that opposing teams will try to go after in the summer although both are likely to factor in the breakthrough they had this year. If that is the case, Carter may find it difficult to rejoin his former team and exit with a fitting swan song.

For now, Carter's next team remains a mystery. That is expected to change after the 2019 NBA Draft and free agency although Vinsanity may have to wait a bit. Most teams will be going after the big name players like Kevin Durant, Leonard, and Kyrie Irving first before skimming through other low key names that would include the eight-time NBA All-Star.

Curiously, one team that could give Carter a chance is the Miami Heat. According to the Miami Herald, the fifth overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft said that he would consider signing with the Heat if the team was interested. With the South Beach squad carrying a tight-budget (approximately just under $140.2 million), Carter could be a logical fit and become the team's veteran leader -picking up from where Dwyane Wade left off.

Although he has proven he still got game, Carter is seen more as a reliever and someone who can fire up the younger players on the Heat side. Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside, two players who could opt in but may eventually be traded could benefit together with the likes of Dion Waiters and James Johnson. Either way, Carter just wants to play one more season before closing the book in what has been a colorful NBA career for the 2000 Slam Dunk King.