Vince Carter's days as a Toronto Raptor have come to an end.

ESPN reports that the New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors have completed a trade that sends Carter to the Nets, pending league approval.

In exchange for Carter, the Raptors receive center Alonzo Mourning, guard Eric Williams, forward Aaron Williams and two first round draft picks.

The two first-round picks the Raptors are to receive in the trade were obtained by the Nets from Denver in the Kenyon Martin trade.

One of the picks - Denver's first-rounder in 2005 - is protected if it is pick one through three in the 2005 lottery. The other - obtained by Denver from Philadelphia before trading it to the Nets - is protected if it is pick one through eight in the 2005 lottery and one through five in the 2006 lottery.

Carter endured a love-hate relationship with fans in Toronto, electrifying crowds with big dunks and disappointing them with a myriad of injuries. Reports surfaced in July that Carter was not happy with the hiring of GM Rob Babcock nor with the selection of Rafael Arajuo in the NBA draft and asked for a trade.

The former North Carolina player had been rumored to be headed to the New York Knicks or Portland Trail Blazers for a variety of players. The deal has to delight Nets All-Star point guard Jason Kidd, who expressed displeasure with the direction his team was taking after dealing Martin and Kerry Kittles.

Carter has almost three years plus an option for a fourth left on his contract, which pays him approximately $12.6 million US this season.

Mourning, 34, has two years left on a contract that pays him $5.4 million this season and $6.4 million for 2005-2006. Aaron Williams, 33, makes $3.1 million this season with an option for $3.3 million next year, while Eric Williams, 32, signed a three-year, $12 million contract in August.

Carter, who is averaging 15.9 points a game this season, was placed on the injured list with a strained left Achilles' tendon last Friday. He has missed Toronto's last three games and must miss two more, meaning he will not be able to play Sunday when the Nets visit Toronto (TSN, 3pm et/Noon pt)

More to follow.

Vince Carter can't wait to play for his new team and prove he hasn't lost a step or any height on his vertical jump. ''I'm going to make a lot of people eat their words when it's time,'' the former Toronto Raptor said after his first practice with the Nets. ''Don't be my friend later. 'If you hate me now, hate me later. I don't mind.''

Raptors watching Carter's play

TORONTO (CP) - Vince Carter has been lighting it up in New Jersey and don't think his former Toronto Raptors teammates haven't noticed.

There were some raised eyebrows at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday when the question of Carter's success with the Nets was raised.

"He's still the same person, he still has the same social security number so he definitely had it in him," said Raptors guard Jalen Rose.

Carter scored a season-high 31 points in a 112-88 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. He cooled down somewhat Wednesday, registering 15 points in the Nets' 97-74 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

But Carter came into Wednesday's game averaging 24 points in 41.1 minutes with the Nets, compared to 15.9 points in 30.4 minutes with the Raptors before the Dec. 17 blockbuster trade.

And it's not just that he's scoring, but how he's scoring. Carter, who earlier this season joked that he wasn't going to dunk anymore, calling it "overrated," has been a dunking machine in New Jersey. He told the New York Post he's considering entering the dunk contest in next month's NBA all-star game, which would mark his first appearance in the dunk contest since he won it in spectacular fashion in 2000.

The Nets are 2-4 since the trade. The Raptors improved to 4-5 with a 96-93 home win over Sacramento on Wednesday.

Raptors coach Sam Mitchell said Carter's heart probably just wasn't in Toronto this season.

"Vince asked to be traded and maybe once that happened, maybe his heart wasn't totally committed to being a Toronto Raptor," said Mitchell. "Once he divorced the Toronto Raptors in his heart and in his mind. . ."

Mitchell argued that Carter did make an effort this season.

"Vince played hard, he tried to do what I asked him to do, he practised every day, he didn't complain, he allowed me to coach the team they way I wanted to coach the team, but he also stated that he didn't want to be here," said Mitchell.

The Raptors coach added Carter was bound to score more on a team with two all-stars in Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. Opponents have two other explosive, high-scoring players to focus on defensively, whereas in Toronto, Carter was the focal point.

Raptors forward Morris Peterson said he's not surprised by Carter's play in New Jersey.

"You know that Vince can score, you know what kind of player he is, you know he can light up the scoreboard," said Peterson. "It's interesting to see what he's doing."

But Peterson wouldn't go so far as to say he's angry Carter didn't show the same stuff in Toronto this season.

"I can't even say that," said Peterson. "Right now, we're just concentrating on the team we have, the players we have, and we're not concerned about anything else."

Carter scored a season-high 31 points in a 112-88 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. He cooled down somewhat Wednesday, registering 15 points in the Nets' 97-74 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Vince Carter tells TNT that he didn't always give it his all in Toronto

TORONTO (CP) - Vince Carter admits he didn't always give it his all with the Toronto Raptors. In an interview Carter was asked if he pushed himself as hard as he should have in Toronto.

"In years past, no," said Carter, now a member of the New Jersey Nets. "I was fortunate to have the talent . . . you get spoiled when you're able to do a lot of things. You see that you don't have to work at it.

"Now, with the all the injuries, I have to work harder. I'm a little hungrier. Getting a fresh start has made me want to attack the basket."

Carter's comments come after questions about his dedication to the game, his commitment to off-season conditioning and his desire to improve from former teammates, broadcasters and media.

The criticism sometimes bothered Carter.

"Guys compare it to Michael Jordan, the game face. I have that," said Carter. "But I enjoy basketball. I love to smile. If I'm not smiling, then it's a problem . . . then I'm really not competing.

"Everybody looks at it like, 'This is the way this guy plays.' Some players have said just because they approach the game that way, that I should. And I still have the same results in the end."

Carter has looked like a different player since the Dec. 17 trade that sent him to New Jersey for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams and Eric Williams plus two first-round draft picks.

Motivated by the change, Carter has revived his dominating inside game which had nearly disappeared in favour of the outside jump shot with the Raptors.

Carter is averaging 22.5 points in 40.3 minutes with the Nets, compared to 15.9 points in 30.4 minutes with the Raptors before the trade.

The improvement drew the ire of Raptors broadcaster Leo Rautins.

"If someone has as much talent as (Carter), then you know if they are using it or not," Rautins told the Toronto Sun. "Sooner or later, they'll see his true colours (in New Jersey).

"I'd be shocked if they didn't. He would have to have a huge change. If you can all of a sudden change it, wow, that's an indictment of what you were doing in Toronto."

Rautins also accused Carter of playing his hardest outside of Toronto.

"I was shocked last year when Carter went to the all-star game (in Los Angeles)," Rautins said. "He ran faster and jumped higher than I had seen in three years. What's the difference? Why there? . . .

"Why wasn't he running in Toronto? Rafer Alston was pushing the ball up just like Jason Kidd. He ran for Jason Kidd, but he didn't run for Rafer Alston."

I'm sure Carter would perform better with Kidd dishing him the ball. Kidd can make most players look good.

domn, who loves watching Curling.