Probable starters entering camp:
• C Kendrick Perkins • F Kevin Garnett • F Paul Pierce • G Ray Allen • G Rajon Rondo
Player to Watch: Kevin Garnett, who else? The mystery surrounding K.G.'s knee injury, which was a topic throughout Boston's postseason run, will give way to reality. Will there be any ill effects? Or will it be the same old K.G.?
Camp Battles: Marquis Daniels, Tony Allen, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker will battle for reserve roles in the backcourt behind starters Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen and 3-point threat Eddie House.
Head Case: Rasheed Wallace brings the good with the bad. Which 'Sheed prevails?
-- By Ken Berger, CBSSports.com Senior Writer
New Jersey Nets
Training camp site: East Rutherford, N.J. Training camp starting date: Sept. 30
Key additions
• PG Rafer Alston
• PF Tony Battie
• SG Courtney Lee
• SG Terrence Williams
Key subtractions
• SG Vince Carter
Probable starters entering camp:
• C Brook Lopez • F Sean Williams • F Yi Jianlian • G Courtney Lee • G Devin Harris
Player to Watch: Courtney Lee has put everyone on notice that he's not pleased with Orlando's decision to include him in the Vince Carter trade. He's on a mission to continue his ascent as one of the emerging two-guards in the league.
Camp Battles: Lee is expected to hold off Chris Douglas-Roberts for the starting two-guard spot. More up for grabs is small forward, where Bobby Simmons and Jarvis Hayes are in the mix. Rafer Alston's situation also bears watching. Will he go from being a starter on a Finals team to a backup on a team coming off a 34-win season?
Rookie Watch: First-round pick Terrence Williams impressed in summer league and will push for major minutes.
-- By Ken Berger, CBSSports.com Senior Writer
New York Knicks
Training camp site: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Training camp starting date: Sept. 29
Key additions
• PF Jordan Hill
• PF Darko Milicic
• SG Sun Yue
Key subtractions
• SF Quentin Richardson
• PF Chris Wilcox
Probable starters entering camp:
• C Eddy Curry • F David Lee • F Wilson Chandler • G Larry Hughes • G Chris Duhon
Player to Watch: Danilo Gallinari appears ready to shine after his rookie season was derailed by a back injury. If healthy, he'll emerge as a Garden favorite.
Camp Battles: Mike D'Antoni keeps a tight rotation, so minutes will be at a premium. Nate Robinson (restricted free agent), Larry Hughes and rookies Toney Douglas and Jordan Hill will be scrapping for backup burn.
Sink or Swim: Eddy Curry allegedly spent his offseason wisely, trying to get into shape. The Knicks would love to showcase him early; trading him remains a crucial piece of the 2010 free-agent plan. But D'Antoni's patience will wear thin if the perennially overweight Curry can't keep up.
-- By Ken Berger, CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Philadelphia 76ers
Training camp site: Philadelphia Training camp starting date: Sept. 29
Key additions
• PG Jrue Holiday
• SF Jason Kapono
• C Primoz Prezec
Key subtractions
• PG Andre Miller
• C Theo Ratliff
Probable starters entering camp:
• C Samuel Dalembert • F Elton Brand • F Thaddeus Young • G Andre Iguodala • G Lou Williams
Player to Watch: Elton Brand is coming off a shoulder injury that limited him to 29 games last season, which makes everyone forget to ask: Is he all the way back from an Achilles' tendon injury that kept him out of all but eight games in 2007-08?
Camp Battles: Marreese Speights emerged as a reliable threat off the bench as a rookie and had an eye-opening summer league performance. Does he take the next step and push Samuel Dalembert out of the starting center spot?
What's the Point? Andre Miller was the biggest reason the Sixers made the playoffs last season. Can Lou Williams and rookie Jrue Holiday keep the momentum going?
-- By Ken Berger, CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Toronto Raptors
Training camp site: Toronto, Ontario Training camp starting date: Sept. 29
Key additions
• SG Marco Belinelli
• SG DeMar DeRozan
• PF Reggie Evans
• PG Jarrett Jack
• C Rasho Nesterovic
• SF Hedo Turkoglu
Key subtractions
• SF Jason Kapono
• PF Shawn Marion
• SG Anthony Parker
Probable starters entering camp:
• C Andrea Bargnani • F Chris Bosh • F Hedo Turkoglu • G DeMar DeRozan • G Jose Calderon
Player to Watch: Hedo Turkoglu wound up in Toronto after a brief free-agent layover in Portland. That complicated courtship, along with competing in EuroBasket, will force Turkoglu to begin his stint north of the border with an obvious case of fatigue.
Camp Battles: Rookie DeMar DeRozan will battle Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright and Jarrett Jack for the starting two-guard spot next to Jose Calderon. The decision will come down to bringing DeRozan along quicker with starting minutes or going with Wright's defense to neutralize opposing wings. Belinelli projects better as a sixth man, while Jack is better suited to backing up Calderon.
Clock Ticking: The Raps hope their aggressive offseason posture will produce enough results to show Chris Bosh there's reason to stay in 2010.
The NW Division makes absolutely no sense. Walk into Oklahoma City and ask them if they would consider their city in the NW part of the country. No? How about Minnesota, are you in the NW portion of the US?
The Blazers should be moved to the Pacific division. The Suns can get bumped to the new "Mountain" division. Utah, Phoenix and Denve
One correction to the "probable starters entering camp" line-up. Martell Webster should be listed as the probable starter at SF ahead of Batum (or Outlaw). Although Batum started the first pre-season home game against the Kings Tuesday night (10/6). he only played 9 minutes, and Webster played 31 minutes off the bench (more minutes than anyone else) Webster started Wednesday night (10/
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Well, the 'Olden State Warriors' are no longer old, but I'm not sure they are golden yet. Stephen Curry will be crucial to their success this upcoming campaign. The Warriors obtained a hard-nosed big man in Mikki Moore who can spell Andris Biedrins, a rebounding machine but thin of girth at the center spot.
Monta Ellis will be available from day one and all hope he stays off of any moto
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The good news: Adding the mix that you do here, opposing teams are going to have a hard time knowing how the offensive chemistry is going to come at them.
The bad news: Adding the mix that you do here, THE PISTONS are going to have a hard time knowing how the offensive chemistry is going to develop . . .
This year the Blazers have the NW in the bag. They are the deepest team and completely talent laiden. They WILL make it to the Western Conference Finals and lose to the Lakers in 6 games. Watch out Lakers next year-you very well will be dethroned.
You're crazy if you think Kirk Hinrich will "battle free agent Jannero Pargo for backup minutes behind Derrick Rose and John Salmons." I agree he will backup but if you think he's going to be battling Pargo for minutes you have never watched them play. Hinrich is about the most consistent player on the team and will get 30 mins a night minimum. Pargo will be lucky to crack 10 mins a g
Some of my observations: Bobcats-Boris Diaw style will benefit Tyson Chandler.Diaw likes to play in the high post.He is a good perimeter shooter.So Raymond Felton should recognize how Chandler can be effective inside because of the defense not clogging inside because of Diaw.
Hawks-Jamal Crawford should be used as point guard subbing for Mike Bibby.They should shift to up
The reason why the Bobcats dont have a high attendance level is because of garbage like this offseason, Tyson Chandler isnt going to help us win games, all he will do is help us by leaving in two years......i think he looked good because of Chris Paul, i like Felton and Augustine, but they arent as good passers as Paul is and Chandler will suffer because of it and score less.
Player to Watch: Courtney Lee has put everyone on notice that he's not pleased with Orlando's decision to include him in the Vince Carter trade. He's on a mission to continue his ascent as one of the emerging two-guards in the league.
Player to Watch: Danilo Gallinari appears ready to shine after his rookie season was derailed by a back injury. If healthy, he'll emerge as a Garden favorite.
Player to Watch: Elton Brand is coming off a shoulder injury that limited him to 29 games last season, which makes everyone forget to ask: Is he all the way back from an Achilles' tendon injury that kept him out of all but eight games in 2007-08?
