In an interview with the Toronto Star, Raptors' G Vince Carter finally went public with his trade demand. Frutstrated with the pace the trade talks have gone on so far, he isn't sure if GM Rob Babcock and head coach Sam Mitchell are pursuing possible deals as strongly as they could be.

"It's time for the truth: I want to be traded, I'm ready to be traded. First and foremost, this has nothing to do with the fans or the city, it's just time for me to look after me" Carter said to the paper last nigth.

He went on to say that "it's been since 2000 when we were on a certain level (the team advanced to the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals that season) and it's been going down since then" and that it would be interesting to play in New York ("It's the mecca of basketball") despite the presence of ex-Raptor coach Lenny Wilkens, with whom Carter clashed in 2002-03. "I would love to play in Florida (where he was born and maintains an off-season home). It's just time to move."

Carter, who has four years remaining on his contract, ducked questions about his future with the team when he was in Toronto for his annual charity all-star game in July. But Carter's agent, Mark Steinberg, said a week later his client asked the Raptors to explore trade possibilities.

Babcock, hired in June, acknowledged the trade demand is an "issue" for the franchise, but he said "it's not really an issue" because he's under contract.

"Is it the ideal way going to camp? No," Babcock said. "But it's really not the nightmare that other people think it is. Would I'd rather he was here without making any public statements and that he was 100 percent behind everything here, yeah absolutely, but he's under contract and I think Vince is a good person, and I think he'll be professional and do what he's supposed to do and fulfill his job."

Babcock hopes the five-time all-star will give his new regime a chance. The Raptors haven't made the playoffs the past two seasons and Sam Mitchell will be Carter's third coach in three years.

"If he comes in with an open mind that's all we want," Babcock said. "He hasn't had an opportunity to play under this system and see what it's like to be a part of this basketball team. This is a whole new era."