Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 8:00 am  |  200 responses

Top 50: Carmelo Anthony, no. 6

The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.

by Myles Brown / @mdotbrown

Let me ask you something. Had Carmelo Anthony decided to take his talents to South Beach this summer rather than LeBron James, would there have been a similar outcry?

Probably not. Right?

Granted, the circumstances are different, Melo wasn’t playing for his hometown and certainly doesn’t have the cache to commandeer an entire network, but both of those are reflections of a larger issue.

Expectations.Carmelo Anthony

Plainly put, most folks don’t believe Melo is capable of the same things as LeBron or Dwyane Wade. ‘Capable of what?’ you might ask. ‘He’s arguably the most complete scorer in the league, one of its most clutch players and as recently as two years ago was two games away from a Finals appearance.’ All of which is true, but considering their athleticism, playmaking abilities, productivity and overall success, ultimately you’d concede that James and Wade are the better players.

Melo would probably be fine with that. As he should be. There’s 300+ other guys keeping him company in that category. What he does take issue with, however, is the increasing volume and frequency of folks questioning whether he’s even a franchise player.

By definition every team in the NBA has a ‘best’ player, a talent that distinguishes himself from his peers and whether by merit or sheer necessity becomes the units focal point and de facto leader. But a franchise player is one who not only distinguishes himself from his peers, he separates himself from practically every other teams best player by exhibiting the talent, aptitude and character needed to lead his mates on a championship run. Not every team has a franchise player.

Has Carmelo Anthony displayed the skill and will to be held in such regard? The Denver Nuggets think so. Problem is, Carmelo Anthony doesn’t want to be a Denver Nugget, presumably because he doesn’t like their chances of winning.

Now this could be attributed to instability in the Rocky Mountain state and the recent happenings in South Beach, but at what point does Melo have to assume responsibility? Sure, he can put the ball in the basket, but can he do so more efficiently? Furthermore, what about the opposite end of the court, you know where the other guy gets to shoot? Does he take defense as seriously as scoring? Yeah, his rebounding has improved, but couldn’t it be better? And yes, it’s questionable if the characters currently under contract in Denver can even be led, but ask yourself this too: Has Melo done enough to lead them?

Regardless, Melo doesn’t necessarily owe Denver any more than what he’s already given and this final year of his contract. However, the more important question is whether this newfound desire to ply his trade elsewhere is a matter of competitive spirit or mere convenience. In other words, does he want a team where he can improve or one that will mask his deficiencies? If not Denver, where can a volume scorer, poor defender, underwhelming boardsman and passive leader succeed?

I honestly don’t mean to harp on the mans shortcomings, but when discussing the leagues top ten players it’s no longer a matter of what one can do as much as what one can’t.

In this profession greatness is solely defined through continually meeting and raising expectations. Another trip to the Conference Finals isn’t guaranteed and Syracuse seems like decades ago. We’ve begun to lower our expectations of Carmelo Anthony. Of course this doesn’t matter nearly as much as what he expects of himself, which we’ll find out soon enough. Only then will any other answers become clear.

Now if you’re asking me anyway, I’d have to say no. Melo isn’t a franchise player. Then again, only five guys are. What he is, however, is the sixth best player in the NBA.

That’s still pretty great.

SLAMonline TOP 50 PLAYERS OVERALL RANK POSITION RANK
Player Team Position 2010 2009 2010 2009
Ray Allen Celtics SG 50 36 10 9
Gilbert Arenas Wizards SG 49 34 9 8
Lamar Odom Lakers PF 48 33 14 10
John Wall Wizards PG 47 NR 13 NR
OJ Mayo Grizzlies SG 46 46 8 12
Al Horford Hawks C 45 NR 6 NR
Jason Kidd Mavs PG 44 45 12 10
Joakim Noah Bulls C 43 NR 5 NR
LaMarcus Aldridge Blazers PF 42 39 13 12
David West Hornets PF 41 31 12 8
Monta Ellis Warriors SG 40 NR 7 NR
Andrew Bogut Bucks C 39 NR 4 NR
Yao Ming Rockets C 38 NR 3 NR
Brandon Jennings Bucks PG 37 NR 11 NR
Zach Randolph Grizzlies PF 36 NR 11 NR
Stephen Curry Warriors PG 35 NR 10 NR
David Lee Warriors PF 34 NR 10 NR
Brook Lopez Nets C 33 NR 2 NR
Gerald Wallace Bobcats SF 32 NR 7 NR
Manu Ginobili Spurs SG 31 29 6 7
Tony Parker Spurs PG 30 15 9 3
Kevin Garnett Celtics PF 29 13 9 3
Rudy Gay Grizzlies SF 28 44 6 9
Josh Smith Hawks PF 27 40 8 13
Andre Iguodala 76ers SG 26 26 5 6
Al Jefferson Jazz PF 25 23 7 7
Russell Westbrook Thunder PG 24 NR 8 NR
Chauncey Billups Nuggets PG 23 19 7 5
Tyreke Evans Kings PG 22 NR 6 NR
Danny Granger Pacers SF 21 21 5 5
Carlos Boozer Bulls PF 20 32 6 9
Paul Pierce Celtics SF 19 17 4 4
Joe Johnson Hawks SG 18 20 4 4
Rajon Rondo Celtics PG 17 27 5 8
Amar’e Stoudemire Knicks PF 16 16 5 6
Steve Nash Suns PG 15 22 4 6
Tim Duncan Spurs PF 14 6 4 1
Chris Bosh Heat PF 13 13 3 4
Derrick Rose Bulls PG 12 18 3 4
Brandon Roy Blazers SG 11 10 3 3
Pau Gasol Lakers PF 10 14 2 5
Dirk Nowiztki Mavs PF 9 9 1 2
Deron Williams Jazz PG 8 11 2 2
Chris Paul Hornets PG 7 4 1 1
Carmelo Anthony Nuggets SF 6 7 3 2

Notes
• Rankings are based solely on projected ’10-11 performance.
• Contributors to this list include: Jeremy Bauman, Maurice Bobb, Erildas Budraitis, Sean Ceglinsky, Ben Collins, Bryan Crawford, Sandy Dover, Adam Figman, Manny Maduakolam, Eddie Maisonet, Ryne Nelson, Doobie Okon, Ben Osborne, Charles Peach, Branden Peters, Quinn Peterson, David Schnur, Todd Spehr, Kyle Stack, Adam Sweeney, Dennis Tarwood, Tracy Weissenberg, Lang Whitaker, Eric Woodyard, and Nima Zarrabi.
• Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive.

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Newer Comments →
  • Joe

    5 Durant
    4 Wade
    3 Howard
    2 Lebron
    1 Kobe

  • Washtub

    So Howard better than Melo?
    Crack

  • http://www.nba.com Jessdogg

    5 Howard
    4 Durant
    3 Wade
    2 Kobe
    1 Lebron

  • Phoo

    CP3 only #7? I have him top 3. BTW no love for Chris Kaman?

  • http://bugmarley.com LeoneL

    So Chris Paul is not a franchise player?

  • http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

    5 Howard
    4 Durant
    3 Bron
    2 Wade
    1 James I mean, Kobe

  • jer

    man wat the hell. myles brown is a hater. why did u guys even let him write for melo if he was going to hate on him

  • spit hot fiyah

    almost conviced me melo is not even top 10 with this article

  • JD

    5. Howard
    4. Durant
    3. Wade
    2. LeBron
    1. Kobe

  • VisionofGreatness

    Melo isn’t a leader, period. He decided to follow the LeBron James trend during the offseason just like CP3. Chauncey Billups is the leader of that team. He can score but he should be a much better rebounder than he is. The guys on ESPN’s NBA Tonight show last night said something that I agree with. Melo is not going to make any team that he eventually goes to a championship contender.

  • arthur

    Five franchise players in the league, and Miami have two of them… that says it all really.

  • Joe

    I still think that Kobe should be #1.

    Two time reigning finals MVP seals the deal.

  • jahmai

    5. Howard
    4. Durant
    3. Wade
    2. Kobe
    1. LeBron

    I’m a fan of Kobe, but I actually think that Kevin Durant will surpass him this season. KD’s rebouding defense and passing is getting better every game.

  • jahmai

    Even though everybody’s hating on LeBron right now, when I saw him play his first game, this preseason, I just forgot how good he was, because we’re all just so focused on his off-season actions. Honestly (not a LeBron fan) he’s just head and shoulders above everyone. If he has a night where he has 25-6-5, it’s mediocre for him and that just shows you how good he actually is and how high he has set the bar.

  • http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

    Lebron is amazing. Best in the NBA. But he is sharing his amazing nights/amazing stats with Wade now. Who is the leader on Miami. Second, did anyone see the Toronto game last night, how does Barg, at 7 feet, not lead his team in rebounds, he wasn’t even top 5 in rebounds last night… and that is just on his own team!! WTF. Last thing, Myles I kind of like this write up. The thing that has always bothered me about Melo is when every other great player in the NBA takes games and situations seriously, he is just laughing, as if to play it off and have an excuse for if he fails. Almost to say he wasn’t trying. I like Melo more than Bron, but now I am switching sides. I which he would take playing a little more serious!!

  • Joe

    Hate to further derail the Melo post, but I have to disagree with the above two posts. Lebron is amazing, but not the best in the NBA. Not yet, what could be a better measure of excellence than being the reigning two time finals MVP?

  • BBaller

    I fear if Melo stays with Denver, he may be eligible for that club Malone, Stockton, Barkley, Ewing and Dominique Wilkins’ belong too.

  • AT33

    1. LeBron
    .
    .
    .
    2. Kobe / Wade
    3. Durant
    4. Howard
    .
    LeBron is miles away from anybody. He is the next Jordan and Magic combined. Wade and Kobe are on the same level, eye to eye.. even though I prefer Wade. Durant is going to be Nr. 2 i a year or two.

  • http://twitter.com/on_ray henry

    i believe that cp3 and dwill would be considered franchise playes

  • AT33

    I actually would put Melo ahead of Howard if he would play some better defense and I do think he would if he played on a better team. Melo is a very special player, Howard is nice to have for some defensive presents but he’s not gonna win you a championship.

  • VisionofGreatness

    @ AT33
    Sorry, LeBron isn’t miles away from anyone. Can’t say that about a guy who can get a 40 plus win team into the Finals, but can’t get a 60 win team to the Finals.

  • CannibalREX

    SO Howard is a franchise player? what as he done in the playoff apart lettin’ rashard hit treys e be swallowed by the lakers?

    If Durant is a better franchise player than Melo then I’m Mahatma Gandhi .

    I concede that Wade and Bryant have stronger personalities.

    Lebron is riskin’ an Allen Iverson style career, in my humble opinion .

  • madis

    Convincing stuff, I liked this one.

    Also, what jahmai said

  • hangtime Hec

    Honestly if I had a choice to a franchise player I would have chosen the last 4 players over DHoward. Just sayin’. The day Howard leads his team to a championship is the day I light myself on fire.

  • http://itsahardwoodlife.blogspot.com omphalos

    Melo not a franchise player? I think our expectations have gotten a tiny bit out of hand for our franchise players. In a head to head matchup Melo is Lebron’s match and quite frankly is more valuable in the 4th quarter. Does not being a point-forward mean you are worse at your position? Melo is the prototypical small forward. Yes, his D is lacking somewhat but he’s no worse than Durant who apparently makes the list; same can be said about his playmaking abilities. Really not a fan of this write up. If Melo just commits to sticking around in Denver to play out his contract don’t be surprised how well they do with a healthy George Karl.

  • WolfNast

    I got my mind in fantasy mode so this ranking seems like bs. But he is good. Just not at fantasy.

  • Furious

    And I never knew Gandhi was enough of a basketball fan to be posting on websites. That’s gotta be a plus for SLAM. Big name fan. Probably won’t help with the Chinese market though.

  • mubwar

    melo didn’t crack the top 5…i cannot believe Durantula and Superman are gonna be ahead of him…we all know who the top 3…1. James, 2. Wade and 3. Bryan….

  • Morgan

    So many questions Myles, that was more like an episode of lost than a review. Totally disagree with the “only 5 franchise players” idea – unless we completely disagree on what Franchise is (makes the difference between it being just another team and a legit Championship Threat, the kind of player you build around for years). Let’s see: Dirk, Howard, Wade, Kobe, Yao, DWill, Durant, LeBron. If anyone of those players gets an injury that team isn’t making it far in the playoffs, Yao’s proof of that.

  • cadmus

    howard
    wade
    durant
    either kobe and lebronze will be the number 1.

  • max
  • Sparty’s Law

    Every GM in the NBA would rather have either Williams or Paul than Carmelo Anthony. Great player, and top 10 for sure, but this is too high for him.

  • http://nicekicks.com meloman2.0

    This has GOT to be the WORST write up so far… why not let someone who actually likes Melo to write it?

  • http://nicekicks.com meloman2.0

    And durant s nice, but he still hasn’t done anything to prove himself, PLUS Melo dominates in head to head match-ups, so i dont know how u can say he’s better

  • http://www.slamonline jumpman3224

    Prediction:
    5. Howard
    4. Wade
    3. Durant
    2. LBJ
    1. Mamba

  • http://www.slamonline.com Eboy

    Just because: 1) KD (Dude is going to do more, statistically, than Wade, Bron and Kobe, this should even be debatable, although he’s not the best player in the game by a long shot) 2)Bron. His stats will still be at a high level and will have a ton of minutes to put them up. It may not be 30,8,8 but it will still probably be 25, 7 & 9. 3) Kobe. His minutes will be reduced….he’ll still get 26-28 pts a game and his team will be the top in the West. 4)D-Wade. Will be the one guy everyone will overlook and that will suit him fine. He’ll probably average more pts than Bron and lead the Heat in clutch plays, making life easy for his new running mates. 5)DaHowitzer. I’m not sure if a dude so physically gifted can have so many holes in his game, but he does. This is a make or break season for the Magic. They’ve got to push past their critics. They bombed out in the Finals two seasons ago. They bombed out in the playoffs last year and now they may have been nullified irrelevant for the next few years due to moves made my the Heat, Bulls and the next two seasons of Celtic ball.

  • http://www.fiba.com Darksaber

    Ooooooh boy. Dwight, i hope you paid good attention to Hakeem’s footwork in those drills. Cause it’s gonna take a few hundred dreamshakes/dropsteps/basic low post go-to-moves. to prove to me that your ’10/11 performance is gonna justify your ranking ahead of Deron, CP3 or even this hotstepper ranked at no.6.

  • Groves

    myles stop hating

  • Dagger

    Great article: well-written, good structure and a nice argument. I’d have to agree with its conclusions: Melo is a hell of a player but his lingering deficiencies mean he doesn’t fit into that “franchise” player category. On the other hand, I suspect the same applies to Howard, as well.

  • KB8toSG8

    Poor poor write up. And lol @at something……

  • http://www.slamonline.com James the Balla

    Hey Seed, I mean Eboy, whats up? lol

  • CannibalREX

    What I meant is that Melo and DUrant are just pretty similiar: they are iperatlethic Sf with range and take me to the hoop abilities, both of them are somewhere lacking in D.
    Only difference is that melo has always been playin’ with great guards (Iverson, Billups) while DUrant has to play with Russel “MOhawk” westbrook who is quite frankly just a nice role player, so Durant has to do a little bit of everything @OKC.
    If durant were playing in a more rounded team (Celtics, lakers, Orlando, even Denever) i’m not fully sold on the idea he would be better than Melo .

  • meloman2.0

    ^^^^ Russel Westbrooke is a “nice role player”??
    He’s one of the best young point guards in the game,was clearly the leader on his team in the playoffs Vs the Lakers in the playoffs last season (while Kd struggled), and he’s number 24 on this list what more could u want?

  • http://Slamonline.com Mvp23100

    See the common fan has become spoiled melo has shortcomings but give him the same time you gave Kobe and Mike to mature Durant right now is not better than melo and dhoward has not developed for everything melo doesn’t do look at he’s top 4 in the L

  • http://www.slamonline.com melvin ely

    lol stopped reading at “Westbrook is just a nice player”. Or struggling to read at least

  • CannibalREX

    In order to make the THunder a rounded team?

    1) a Defensive-minded sg who could score from deep and pair against the best of the crop (John Salmons everybody??)
    2) A true pf who wouldn’t bullied around by the various Gasol, kmart, odom Z-bo of this world ). Green is good but he’s a big three not a 4
    3) a true center, with post moves and rebounding capabilities .

    If OKC had all of these things, I don’t really believe in Durantula putting up 30 + points every given night

    Melo > Durant, face it folks

    And by the way, Billups at his age his on this list higher than RW :)

  • riggs

    i love your articles myles and you as a writer but seriously wtf man?

  • http://www.slamonline.com melvin ely

    Mvp, it’s been 7 years. Time to mature? Kobe and Mike were killing the league at this point in their careers. To be honest, I think Melo’s hit the ceiling, or near it. He’s almost as good as he ever will be, he could get better defensively, but being really good at that part of the game takes a mental toughness I just don’t think Melo’s capable of. I feel bad saying it cuz he has probably the most polished all-around games in the L offensively, but the kid’s head just isn’t there.

  • http://Slamonline oso22

    Ok carmelo isn’t a franchise player?…Dwight howard is one? How can Dwight howards lead a team without another star. Name one dominant big that has had sucess without a point gaurd swingman star. Shaq had wade and Kobe, Hakeem had clyde, duncun has tp and Manu and before that had Robinson, needless to be said with that combo you don’t need that person. My second statement is that if you’re going to critize melo for being only a scorer(arguably the best in the NBA) why can’t you critize Durant for being the same?…he’s avg a rebound better than melo and an assist less so that offsets eachother and of u take away jeff green and russel Westbrook then the thunder would look like they did 3 years ago when they were the sonics

  • http://twitter.com/smileyoufckers Bryan

    Melo is a bit overrated. When he got drafted I called him a more athletic Glenn Robinson and so far he hasn’t proven me wrong.

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