Is Andre Iguodala really the 49th best NBA player?

49th? Really? Did we really just give the 49th best player in the NBA a 6 year/ 80 million dollar contract? I sure hope not, but Tom Ziller seems to think so.

Tom Ziller writes for FanHouse on AOL and has recently set out to name the top 50 players in the NBA. Here's his criteria:

* It's all about quality, not contracts. Creating a ranking based on contract size and length has major problems. As much as we like to compare and contrast deals as a way of assessing values (guilty), contract are products of circumstance, and almost never pure indicators of talent. Getting a good contract is all about timing the market, becoming indispensable to your team, and having a good agent. Those things have little correlation with actual talent. Besides, a true "value" list with contract size/length as a core component -- like Bill Simmons' annual trade value column -- should really be lead by rookies and sophomores, who are locked into four years of cheap labor.

* Age matters only in the immediate. The only time age enters the equation in these rankings is with regard to next year's performance. If a player is young, he is likely to improve next year. If a player is old, he is likely to decline. It's impossible to suss out and predict the production of 19-year-olds five years down the line, so we're focusing on 2008-09 performance. At the end of 2008-09, regardless of age or contract, who were the best players?

* We aren't using boring statistics. There will some divergences from points per game and field goal percentage. I'll try to explain (or link to explanations) when I can, but a basic understanding of the importance of per-minute measures will be valuable in working your way through our Top 50. Per-minute statistics are a better indicator of future production than per-game statistics. As such, I'm typically looking at per-minute statistics to ascertain Danny Granger will be a better scorer than Andre Iguodala this season.

* Team quality is ignored. You'll notice some good teams have one or two players on the list, while some bad teams have multiple guys in the Top 50. I didn't take team representation into account at all in advance. This isn't the All-Star Game, where a 1st-place team has to have a prescribed number of players repped.

* This has nothing to do with fantasy basketball. The skills which win basketball games and the skills which win fantasy basketball leagues are not the same. I'm no fantasy expert (seriously), so this has nothing to do with that.

His offcial list is in the making. Only players 50 and 49 have been revealed and one of our own comes in at 49. I'm really interested the see the 48 players "better" than Andre.

A few weeks ago, Andre Iguodala signed what will be the second largest post-rookie contract from the draft class of 2004, behind only elite center Dwight Howard. Is Iguodala the second best player from the class? No, you'll see a few others higher on the list than 'Dre.

Al Jefferson and Josh Smith are the only ones that should be considered. And even Smith, doesn't have the all-around game Iguodala has.

But Iguodala's still a damn fine player.

But he's 49th!

Still A.I. left, Iguodala's shooting has suffered. The primary cause, you'll find, is that 'Dre has been forced into an alpha role on offense that doesn't fit him. Philadelphia has to score, and most of the team's rotation is bad at scoring efficiently or creating shots -- and none beyond Iguodala can do both. (Willie Green can do neither.) A certain high-usage power forward should help allow Iguodala to slide back into his offensive comfort zone.

It's scary to think that Andre will go back to the second scoring option this season.

Maybe Iguodala's best offensive attribute is his playmaking ability from the swing positions.

So, he's a "damn fine player", he can score and has tremendous play-making ability? Is there anything else?

'Dre is a solid defensive rebounder at small forward, and will be a great one when/if he moves to two-guard as Thaddeus Young develops.

He can rebound too?!

'Dre isn't the absolute best man or team defender, but he's damn close. His ability to both play the passing lanes and stay in front his guy is a credit to his effort and instincts, the two most important factors in a wing player's D.

Ok.

So let's see ... a potential 20-point, high efficiency scorer who adds four or five assists, solid rebounding and great defense. Pretty nice player, yeah? His contract may draw derision because of its size in the face of more modest deals for his '04 brethren, but it shouldn't. Iguodala will live up to his billing and make Philadelphia a very happy city.

Let's get this straight. Iguodala can score, especially when he's not the number one option and he's not now that Elton's here. Iguodala's best attribute is his playmaking ability. He's an above average rebounder and defender AND his contract doesn't effect his position on this list? Not to mention the fact that he's 24 and will only get better. Believe me, I'm the first person to tell you that Andre isn't a superstar yet, and never may be, but I think he deserves a slightly higher ranking than 49th. I can't wait to see the 48 players that are above the young, potential-filled, do-it-all Iguodala. Stay Tuned.

Here's some other quickies:

HoopsWorld thinks Iguodala's a front-runner for the 2012 Olympic roster.

Oklahoma City's guard – and reigning NBA Rookie of the Year - Kevin Durant, Golden State guard Monta Ellis, Philadelphia 76ers' guard Andre Iguodala, Atlanta Hawks' forward Al Horford, Sacramento Kings' guard Kevin Martin and Chicago Bulls' guard Derrick Rose are possible options to join Team USA for a run at London in 2012.

Tom Moore from PhillyBlurbs thinks Willie has a chance to start.

Umm, I'm pretty sure I was in the conference call with Stefanski when he said, "Obviously, Elton Brand is our starting four and Mo (Cheeks) would be able to answer this if he’s projecting Thaddeus at the three, which I’m sure he is right now," and " Right now if you look at a depth chart probably you put Andre Iguodala as the starting two."

So, your telling me there's a chance?

Yes, I guess there's a CHANCE, but it's a very small one. Moore made it seem like it was a likely scenario and I don't see that being the case.