Preseason Primer

Player to watch: While most of the world is watching what the Big Three do as a follow-up, the coaches might be watching Leon Powe and hoping his development continues, especially with the loss of free agent James Posey. Powe had a stunning Game 2 in the NBA Finals, and the hope is that he takes over the sixth-man role that Posey filled so well.

Camp battles: Rajon Rondo long ago soothed any anxiety about the point guard spot, and there should be varying depth after him. Sam Cassell should be back as a backup point, but the key fight for minutes there should be between combo guard and shooter deluxe Eddie House and second-season guy Gabe Pruitt.

Can you top that? So what can they do for an encore? Can they possibly maintain the near defensive invincibility that propelled them to the top of all heaps in 2007-08?

-- By Fred Kerber, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: Yi Jianlian is the most compelling Nets player to watch. Vince Carter must score, must pass, must lead, must draw the defense to open other guys for shots. But Yi is the reason the Nets gave up Richard Jefferson to acquire what is literally the biggest piece of their rebuilding scheme. He's still a giant question mark, but there is a giant upside.

Camp battles: Sean Williams might be facing the sternest battle for playing time. Viewed as a potential steal as the 17th pick in the 2007 draft, Williams figured to battle the likes of Stromile Swift for minutes behind Yi at power forward. So the Nets drafted another "four," Ryan Anderson, and then signed another, Eduardo Najera.

Kiddie corps: There are three rookies, Brook Lopez, Anderson and Chris Douglas-Roberts. There's a potential defensive stud in his second year, Williams. There is youth. A lot of youth on a roster guided by a coach, Lawrence Frank, whose history suggests he prefers vets while some youngsters have failed. That cannot be the case this season, and everyone around the Nets knows it. The kiddies must play and develop.

-- By Fred Kerber, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: Is Eddy Curry a Mike D'Antoni-type of player? We'll find out. Curry, a huge part of Isiah Thomas' master plan that went up in flames, is a low-post presence, but he will need to prove he can exist in the system eventually employed by the new coach. Curry has $30 million left for three years.

Camp battles: Danilo Gallinari wanted New York. He got it. Gallinari, a young stud out of Italy, wants to prove himself, but the Knicks know they must go sloooow with the rookie -- especially after his back flared in summer league play. Gallinari will be behind Quentin Richardson, who has played before for D'Antoni, plus defensive type Jared Jeffries and Wilson Chandler, who flashed well in spots (7.3 ppg) last season.

Changing the culture ... again: At first glance, it's square peg and round hole stuff as D'Antoni leaves behind Phoenix, where a high-octane offense was a way of life, and lands in New York, where losing became the norm. D'Antoni will employ his style when the players are comfy with it, but can he and new president Donnie Walsh give one of the NBA's most passionate and loyal fan bases something to cheer about after years of garbage?

-- By Fred Kerber, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: Elton Brand played only eight games for the Clippers in 2007-08 after rupturing his Achilles' tendon. But Brand pronounced the injury 100 percent healed and then headed to Philly and an already playoff-tested team for nearly $80 million. If he is the Brand of old, the Sixers are loaded with athleticism and versatility.

Camp battles: Promising big man Jason Smith is out for the year. Athletic wing Rodney Carney and journeyman center Calvin Booth were traded to clear some cap space for Brand. So the extent of the depth became iffy. The 76ers got some depth at low cost, notably Royal Ivey and Kareem Rush in the backcourt. So the key reserves vying for time are Thaddeus Young behind small forward Andre Iguodala and rookie Marreese Speights behind center Samuel Dalembert.

Encore, please: Philadelphia is the town where Santa Claus was booed. The 76ers re-established the love affair with their fans, but that is so last year now. So what have you done lately, Sixers? Expectations are sky high despite a residence in the same division as the NBA champs. The Sixers could be studs because they have quality at every spot along with good backups, but overall depth is a tad shaky.

-- By Fred Kerber, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: If Jermaine O'Neal is the All-NBA stud of years past, the Atlantic has another potential monster team. But there is also the possibility the one-time face of the Indiana franchise is nearing the end of his career with a massive payday ($21.3 million) waiting. The Raptors will know soon enough if he'll be the All-Star who was a top-five big as recently as two years ago or a broken down cap-killer.

Camp battles: Two guys who figured to be starters by now are not. Andrea Bargnani was the No. 1 overall pick in 2006, and virtually everyone thought he'd be starting quickly. But he's behind Chris Bosh at the four and O'Neal at the five. Joey Graham was part of the Raptors' 2005 draft night windfall when he was grabbed 16th overall. But he has managed to go from first string to second string to third string, now behind Jason Kapono and Jamario Moon.

No safety net: The two-headed point guard has dissolved with T.J. Ford in Indiana. And while Jose Calderon has been vastly underrated, he now really has no established backup; the main reserve is rookie Roko Ukic, who was in Europe before and after the Raptors drafted him in 2005.

-- By Fred Kerber, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com