NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Reasons Andre Iguodala Is a Better Steal Than Melo
With the trade deadline coming closer, the rumors have been building as of late. The biggest name taking over the headlines? Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony.
Recent rumors suggest that Anthony has interest in the New Jersey Nets, despite denial of any conversation between the two sides. After seven years of an underachieving franchise in Denver, it seems as if Melo is ready for a new home.
Another name has been mentioned in trade rumors but seems to be overshadowed by the Anthony hype: Philadelphia 76ers' Andre Iguodala. Iggy has had injury problems this season that have kept him sidelined at times, as has Anthony.
Despite all the hype surrounding Anthony, it might not be a bad idea for a team to invest in Iguodala instead. Undoubtedly, Anthony has proven to be the better scorer and talent, but Iggy has proven to be a talent in this league in other ways.
Here are 10 reasons Iguodala might be the smarter pickup for an organization.
10. Turnovers
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When it comes to keeping possessions alive for their respective teams, Iguodala far more efficient.
Through the first half of this season, Anthony has averaged 2.8 turnovers a game, compared to Iguodala's 1.7 a game.
Anthony's 2.8 turnovers a game are just 0.2 shy of his assists per game total, not to mention his turnover average is the 20th highest in the league.
9. Ability To Find The Open Man
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If there's one thing Anthony lacks, it's the ability to get other players involved around him.
Although this is a quality that makes him such a proficient scorer from the field, it's also one that most franchises should highly consider.
Anthony averages 3.0 assists a contest, which is the lowest average he has had since posting 2.7 in the 2005-2006 season.
Iguodala, on the other hand, is averaging 5.6 a game with a career-low 1.7 turnovers a game. His 3.27 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks sixth in the league. More impressive, he is the only player in the top nine for assist-to-turnover ratio that isn't a point guard.
8. Less Money To Pay Up...Who Doesn't Like That?
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In 2008, Iguodala signed a six-year, $80 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers that would pay him an average of just over $13 million a year.
Anthony on the other hand, is currently raking in a whopping $17 million this season with the Denver Nuggets.
Anthony signed a contract in 2006 that was worth $80 million as well, but over five years. He currently is averaging $16 million a year.
Money is definitely a factor to consider. Iguodala may undoubtedly be the more economical choice.
7. The Perfect Role Player
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For seven years Philadelphia has tried to make Andre Iguodala the face of the 76ers franchise, when in reality, that may not be the type of player he was meant to be.
If one thing is certain, in acquiring Carmelo Anthony a team must be sure that they want someone to take over on the offensive end and put points on the board.
For the most part, Iguodala has tried to do this for Philadelphia, but it's become certain that it's not necessarily his game. Make no mistakeโthe guy can score the basketball, but he can do a little bit of everything else as well.
Anthony demands more attention and more touches, which is not necessarily a negative attribute, but certainly one to consider in this case.
A player like Iguodala can be a more positive acquisition to a team that doesn't need more talent on offense. His low turnover numbers, high assist numbers and solid scoring ability can make him an effective role player on a winning team.
6. A Human Highlight Reel
5 of 10The guy can fly. It's mind-blowing.
If a team is looking for a couple of dunks a week on SportsCenter's Top 10, Iguodala can make it happen.
Melo makes great moves to the basket, but could certainly learn a thing or two about throwing the ball down in style.
This dunk against the Pistons was just filthy. I wouldn't call dunking ability an important factor, but it sure makes for an entertaining one.
5. Defense Wins Championships
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If there's a famous saying in most sports that coaches constantly preach, it's that defense wins games, and in turn builds championship quality teams.
Iguodala is a proven player on the defensive end, averaging 1.8 steals per game in his career compared to Anthony's 1.1 a contest. They both average 0.5 block a game.
Yet, watching both teams play, Iguodala hits the floor on defense and is the heart of Philadelphia's 13th-ranked defense. For a 17-23 team, 13th is not all that bad.
Denver, despite being 23-17 through the first 40 games, are 23rd in the league defensively.
If defense is what you look for, Iguodala gets the nod.
4. Playoff Struggles For Melo
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Since acquiring Carmelo Anthony, the Denver Nuggets have become a winning organization with consistent playoff appearances.
With all-star caliber players in J.R. Smith and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets have been a team to reckon with. Other role players like Nene and Chris Andersen have been key in their success.
Yet, come playoff time, they always seem to fall just short.
Anthony has come to play though, make no mistake. He averages 24.5 points per game in his career in the postseason and just over 30 in last year's playoffs.
In these seven seasons, Anthony and company have made it past the first round only once, where the Nuggets would eventually lose in the Western Conference finals.
For Anthony to have the talent he had around him and only once move past the first round says a lot about him as a leader.
Iguodala has gotten that chance three times, and all three times the team around him was not a championship-built team, as the Nuggets were believed to be. Give him a chance to help a team win as a role player, and he could be a key component in team's run at a title.
3. The More Subtle Approach
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Besides an immense load of talent and a scoring ability unmatched by most in the league, Anthony brings with him plenty of media attention.
Teams who don't wish to deal with the constant press coverage post-game and the constant drama surrounding the situation should want nothing more than to consider Iguodala.
Despite being mentioned in trade rumors as of late, Iguodala is not exactly the most talked about player alongside Carmelo Anthony.
Yet for all the reasons listed before, he is well worth a look at in many regards, despite not being the better talent of the two.
2. Not Half Bad From Deep
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Iguodala has been a consistent three-point shooter since entering the league in the 2004.
Approaching the 500 mark for three-pointers made, Iguodala shoots 32 percent distance, a mark two percent higher than Anthony's average.
This season in particular, Iguodala has improved his three-point shooting to 36 percent, while Melo is down to 26.9 percent at the midway point. It stands as Melo's worst percentage since the 2006 season.
Iggy also edges out Melo in field goal percentage this season and for his career, shooting 46.3 percent in his career and 43.9 percent this season.
1. A Piece to The Puzzle on a Championship Team
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Let's face it: A team built to win a championship this season more than likely will not need the surplus of talent that a player like Carmelo Anthony brings to the table. It's awfully tempting, but not necessary.
Championships contenders like the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers all have one thing in common: enough talent to get the job done on the offensive end of the floor.
Despite being the Sixers' main scoring threat, Iguodala is a versatile player that can play on both ends of the floor. A team like those listed above would gladly use someone like Iguodala to solidify their lineup.
Even teams like New York and Chicago who need a role player could use a player like Iguodala to contend this postseason.
Last season, Dallas made a move to acquire Caron Butler, who immediately made the Mavericks a more legitimate contender in the West.
A lot like Butler, Iguodala is a scorer who can play defense and distribute the rock. There's no question teams on the quest of a title could use the abilities of Iggy.
Not to say that Melo won't contribute to a team, but he is anything but a role player.
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