For better or worse, Raptors general manager Rob Babcock has begun to truly put his stamp on the team by dealing away the long-time face of the NBA?s lone Canadian franchise.

 Babcock finally preformed the inevitable on Friday by dealing away the much maligned and disgruntled Vince Carter to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, Aaron Williams and two future first-round draft picks.

 It?s hard to imagine where the Toronto club would be without Carter, who electrified fans- not to mention put plenty of fannies in the seats of the Air Canada Center- for the past six seasons with his dazzling array of highlight-reel dunks.  Simply put, Carter has been the franchise since his rights were acquired on draft night 1998, even though the 27-year-old hasn?t come remotely close to leading the Raptors to a championship.  

 But all good things- or in this case mediocre things, if you tend to value, as most fans do, wins over style points- must come to an end, and now is the time for ?Half-man, Half-amazing? to bolt T.O.- for a multitude of reasons.

 Forget the fact that Carter had wanted out of Toronto since the summer when he first went public with his request to be dealt.  Sure, Carter?s sour attitude this season has done nothing but negatively affect the team, especially when, on many nights, the one-time franchise player simply looked uninspired (Carter is averaging a career-low 15.9 points this season while shooting just over 41% from the field, hardly max player numbers).

 However, let?s face it:  Carter is a mere shadow of the player he once was upon entering the league by storm during the 1998-99 season when he captured Rookie of the Year honors.  Without the aerial component to his game- more specifically the refusal, or utter fear, to attack the basket (Carter even stated earlier in the year that he would quit dunking, although he later refrained, saying he was merely joking) - Carter has become just another dime-a-dozen jump shooter.  In fact, due to his below-average defense, Carter simply was a bad fit and an expendable player.  So happy or not, ?Vinsanity? was on borrowed time with the Raptors anyway.

 As Friday?s trade clearly indicates, Toronto has now become second-year power forward Chris Bosh?s team.  

 While Bosh has struggled somewhat in his second season despite averaging 13.1 points and 7.5 rebounds, at 20, the future is now for the Georgia Tech product to take the reigns and become the new face of the organization.  

 Not only does Carter?s departure allow Bosh to become more of a focal point on the offensive end, but the additions of Mourning- if he in fact wants to play for the Raptors when he does return to the lineup- Eric Williams and Aaron Williams provide Toronto- and Bosh in particular- with some much needed help defensively in the low post.   The Raptors are the most out-rebounded team in the Association, with a -6.00 differential and can surely use the big bodies up front.  

 At first glance, GM Babcock did not appear to get enough for Carter despite his declining production.  Mourning is no longer in his prime and is currently suffering from right knee tendonitis in addition to undergoing a kidney transplant last December, while both Eric and Aaron Williams are complimentary players at best.

 But Babcock?s mandate has been clear from the outset:  bring in as many hard-working, substance-over-style players who come and bring their lunch boxes to work every night- something Carter, especially this season, did not do.  Toronto has always been a fairly talented team, but a team sorely lacking chemistry.

 ?(Eric and Aaron Williams) are the kinds of people, character-wise, we want in our program- tough guys, professional basketball players, professional attitude on and off the court, team-oriented players,? Babcock said following the deal.  

 The key, however, to the deal is the two first-round draft picks Toronto is receiving- a 2005 pick originally belonging to the Denver Nuggets (top three protected selection), as well as Philadelphia?s first-round pick, which is top eight protected in 2005 and top five protected in 2006.  Not only do the picks allow Babcock to add some potential impact players down the road (assuming he drafts appropriately, which is debatable after Babcock selected bench-warming center Rafael Araujo last June with the 8th overall pick), but the picks could also very well be packaged in a future deal.

 ?You?re never done,? Babcock replied when asked if he was through wheeling and dealing.  

 ?I think that was the No. 1 move, and the first domino, but I think that?s one move that?s going to probably lead to a couple of other moves,? said Jalen Rose, who?s likely to be the next highly-paid star to be sent packing out of Canada.  

 There?s no question the Raptors are in a full-fledged rebuilding mode as Babcock, slowly but surely, begins to clean house and mold the team in his own image.  

So as the 'Vinsanity' era comes to a close, a new era in Raptorland begins:  The Rob Babcock era is now in full swing.