The 2004–05 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 38th season in the National Basketball Association, and 29th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Without Kenyon Martin, who was traded to the Denver Nuggets in the offseason, the Nets stumbled out of the gate losing 11 of their first 13 games including a nine-game losing streak, as Jason Kidd missed the first month of the season from offseason knee surgery. In December, the Nets made a move acquiring All-Star guard Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors in a trade for Alonzo Mourning, Eric Williams, and Aaron Williams. Mourning did not report to Toronto and he was waived not long after the trade. He later signed with the Miami Heat for his second stint. By the time Carter arrived, Kidd returned from his knee surgery. Richard Jefferson spent most of the season on injured reserve due to a wrist injury. The Kidd and Carter duo-led Nets won 10 of their final 12 games to finished with a 42–40 record, winning a tie-breaker for the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Carter was selected for the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.