Commentary

Carmelo Anthony is not an elite player

Anthony's per-game stats are great, but his efficiency (or lack thereof) tells the tale

Updated: August 5, 2010, 1:50 PM ET

By Tom Haberstroh | Special to ESPN Insider

Carmelo Anthony has averaged 20 points per game every season since he arrived in the NBA. This past campaign, he became the third-youngest player ever to reach the 10,000-point plateau, behind only Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. And next summer, he could hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

But despite all those gaudy point totals, the three-time All-Star may not even be worth the max deal a team would likely give him in 2011.

To read why Carmelo Anthony's per-game stats are deceiving, how he compares to the likes of LeBron James, Paul Pierce and Dwyane Wade and what he's worth next summer, you must be an ESPN Insider.