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The Phoenix Suns successfully extended the guaranteed salary clause on shooting guard Vince Carter’s contract for the 2012 campaign late last week.

Before the negotiation took place Carter was set to earn $18 million next season, but would only be owed $4 million from the franchise if he was waived by June 30.

Now the deadline has been pushed back to the start of free agency which is up in the air due to the uncertainty of securing a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in a timely fashion.

The salary structure won’t change.

It still remains highly unlikely that the Suns, who missed the playoffs last season, will invest $18 million in an aging former All-Star on the decline since their fortunes are closer to rebuilding mode than title contention.

However the Suns’ lack of interest due to the price tag shouldn’t be viewed as an indicator of whether Carter could still play an impact role on a playoff bound team.

Sure, Carter’s last two stops haven’t panned out the way Orlando and Phoenix envisioned when they welcomed him into the fold.

In Orlando, Carter was heralded as the final piece of the Magic’s championship puzzle after the franchise lost in the 2009 Finals.

In Phoenix, the hope was pairing Carter with former two-time league MVP Steve Nash would result in the Suns returning to the postseason even after losing All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire during free agency the previous summer.

The 34 year old Carter averaged career lows in points, rebounds, assists and minutes last season and is clearly on the downside of a stellar career.

But even with the notable decline, if Carter hits the free agency market as expected he still possesses enough talent to contribute to a team with title aspirations in a reduced role.  

There are multiple contending teams who could use Carter’s services in an effort to get them over the hump.

The below list is making the assumption that Carter, who has made nearly $150 million throughout his career, isn’t looking to cash in on another huge payday and would be willing to sacrifice some dough in the hopes of capturing an elusive NBA championship.

New York Knicks

After a six season playoff drought, the Knicks returned to the postseason in 2011 only to be swept in the first round. Nevertheless there is a genuine excitement brewing in the Big Apple due to the arrival of Stoudemire last summer and All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups via midseason trade back in February.

Unfortunately, the team still has glaring holes on their roster at shooting guard and center.

The Knicks took a proactive step to address their need at two guard by selecting Iman Shumpert with the No. 17 overall pick in this year’s draft but there are questions on how ready he’d be to handle a significant role on a team with raised expectations.

With Carter on the roster it’d give the youngster some additional time to develop with less pressure, but also provide New York with more firepower on the perimeter.

Five years ago a Carter-Knicks union probably would have been a bad fit for both parties with him as the lead star, but nowadays he’d be the fourth option behind Stoudemire, Anthony and Billups.

Chicago Bulls

Last summer the Bulls aggressively attempted to upgrade their talent at shooting guard in free agency.  

The club was extremely interested in Atlanta’s Joe Johnson and also courted Miami’s Dwyane Wade before both of those stars opted not to switch teams.

Chicago also offered over $20 million to Orlando’s reserve restricted free agent guard J.J. Redick before the Magic surprisingly decided to match the offer.

{AUTHOR_BOX} Ultimately, the team settled on a shooting guard by committee approach consisting of Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer.

However during the team’s elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals this past season it was evident that the club needed another option in the backcourt alongside MVP Derrick Rose capable of creating their own shots.

From a defensive standpoint, at this stage of his career, Carter wouldn’t exactly be the ideal fit in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s tenacious style. But keep in mind the Bulls were one of the best units in the league limiting teams from scoring with a couple guys who weren’t the strongest individual defenders.

Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has never shied away from introducing aging veteran talent into his locker room. From Jerry Stackhouse to Jason Kidd to Shawn Marion to Peja Stojakovic, Dallas has sometimes had the look of a traveling All-Star team not a cohesive unit.

Now the Mavericks will enter next season as the hunted after winning their first NBA title.

The club could also lose key cogs on the perimeter in J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson and Caron Butler to free agency.

Dallas has already taken a proactive step in the reloading process by acquiring shooting guard Rudy Fernandez in a draft night steal and it never hurts for a title team to have as much talent as possible stashed away on the bench in the event the injury bug pays a visit. 

Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta isn’t exactly one of the most preferred destinations for free agents in demand, but the Hawks are only a couple pieces away from title contention.

The team will likely lose 2010 Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford to free agency and will therefore have a gaping offensive hole to replace in their lineup.

There has been talk of playing Johnson at small forward more in the upcoming season, but the way the roster is currently constructed the Hawks don’t have a viable two guard option in place to implement this strategy.

Targeting Carter, the Hawks could roll out a starting lineup consisting of Al Horford ( C), Josh Smith (PF), Johnson (SF), Carter (SG) and Jeff Teague (PG). Established veterans Kirk Hinrich and Marvin Williams, who are starters for most teams in the league, would anchor the second unit.

As it stands now, if the Hawks want to continue their playoff streak they simply cannot allow the high scoring Crawford to walk without bringing in capable talent in return.

Boston Celtics

On the shoulders of future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are gearing up for one more run at a title with their big three.

Many believe the last chance was the 2011 season, but those within the organization believe the team’s title window could be extended past 2012 depending on the supporting cast in place.

Carter was teammates of Allen and Garnett in the 2000 Olympics so there is already a familiarity in place.

Plus the franchise has been known to roll the dice on aging vets in recent years – see Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, Stephon Marbury, P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell.

The Celtics must strengthen the bench depth at shooting guard and small forward just in case Allen or Pierce have to miss significant time at any point – much like the presence forward Jeff Green (if the club retains him) will provide if Garnett is limited.