"I kept waiting for his Achilles tendon to break" - James Dolan makes shocking claim about Knicks nearly trading for Vince Carter

New York Knicks owner James Nolan said that they nearly acquired a prime Vince Carter but had to check themselves in going for it because of medical concerns.

He shared so on the Roommates Show podcast of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, recalling how they were exploring the possibility of bringing "Vinsanity" to the Big Apple from the Toronto Raptors.

Nolan said that they were highly interested in a trade for Carter, but their medical team advised them to reconsider over concerns on the high-flying NBA star's "damaged" Achilles.

"We were going to do the trade, and the medical team came back and told us that (Carter) had a 90%-severed Achilles tendon. They said that it would never hold up, and once it ruptured, he would never be the same player. For that reason, we didn't do the trade," the Knicks executive said.

Vince Carter eventually landed with the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and continued with his ascent as an All-Star-caliber player, leaving Nolan wondering what could have been.

"I kept waiting for his Achilles tendon to break, and it never broke," he said.

Vince Carter was solid in his four and a half years in New Jersey, averaging a career-best 23.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists, becoming a two-time All-Star as a member of the team.

He could have helped the Knicks, who during that stretch didn't reach the playoffs and averaged only 28 wins.

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Vince Carter likes Knicks as a legitimate contender this season

The now-retired Vince Carter likes the New York Knicks' title push this season after they added Karl-Anthony Towns to their roster in the offseason.

The eight-time All-Star shared his thoughts on the team at the start of the NBA campaign, highlighting on FanDuel's Run It Back show how the addition of 'KAT' only made the Knicks better and more dynamic.

Carter said:

"I for sure think they're the most talented. I know we're talking about playing him at the center position, I like 'KAT' at the 4 where you can use him for your advantages. You can use different lineups and use him in small ball."

With just a quarter of the regular season left to play, the Knicks are safely perched on the top half of the Eastern Conference, with a 42-23 record, and are on track of making it back to the playoffs for the third straight year.

As for Towns, he has been a boon to the Knicks campaign, as expected, averaging 24.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a steal in 58 games. He also earned an All-Star nod in his first year in New York.