Preseason Primer

Player to watch: Nene is healthy after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer in January. That kept him out much of last season. This year, he doesn't have Marcus Camby or Eduardo Najera to contend with, so it's his time.

Camp battles: It's not a traditional battle, but it's time for Allen Iverson to give up the role of No. 1 option and let Carmelo Anthony have it. Iverson says he willingly defers, and he should be admired for trying. But he's still taking the same number of shots as Anthony.

Stuck in the middle: The Nuggets are exactly the same kind of team they have been for the past few years: a fringe playoff team and certain first-round loser. This year Denver will be in the mix again, but that's the best it can do.

-- By Matt Steinmetz, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: Everyone wants to see if Kevin Love can make the adjustment to the NBA game. If he can do more than that and actually become a factor, it will be interesting to see just how he gets it done.

Camp battles: Mark Madsen isn't going to steal any of Love's minutes, but it will be his job to work Love over on the days the Timberwolves don't have a game. Poor Kevin Love.

Go-time: Kevin McHale and Randy Wittman have to be on double-secret probation by now. If they're not, they should be. Minnesota needs to be significantly better than a year ago, or the year before that or the year before that ... or else.

-- By Matt Steinmetz, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: Joe Smith is a pro's pro, just the kind of player who can help a contender. The Thunder is the furthest thing from a contender, which would make him a veteran on a young team. Nothing like trade rumors in October.

Camp battles: Earl Watson has been waiting for years for Luke Ridnour to hit the road, and wouldn't you know it -- when Ridnour is finally gone, here comes Russell Westbrook. Sure, Westbrook is a Bruin like Watson, but that's not going to make the competition any friendlier.

It's hot already: P.J. Carlesimo, the Thunder's perpetually vulnerable head coach, has a thankless job, and he's working for people who hired him a year before the franchise embarked on a fresh start in another city. You get the picture.

-- By Matt Steinmetz, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: How good is Greg Oden? Is he a game-changer and destined for greatness? Is he a defensive factor and that's it? Is he just serviceable? That answer will go a long way toward determining the Blazers' future for the next, oh, 12 or 15 years.

Camp battles: Forget about any individual battle for minutes. The Blazers are adding what they believe to be three legitimate rotation players -- Oden, Rudy Fernandez and rookie Jerryd Bayless. Those minutes have to be taken from somebody. Or in this case, somebodies.

The next big thing: OK, here they are, the great Portland Trail Blazers. They're the next world-beaters, or so everyone is saying. Living up to pressure isn't easy, and it's even harder when you're trying to do it as a young team. Which would be most of the Portland team. Let's give them a few years.

-- By Matt Steinmetz, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Player to watch: How does it come to pass that the Jazz get to have John Stockton forever, and then right after Stockton they get to have Deron Williams? Think about it: Stockton is a legend, and there has never been a whisper about the good old days or about how Stockton did this and Stockton did that. Not with Williams. That's how good he is.

Camp battles: On the surface, Paul Millsap wouldn't have much to do with Andrei Kirilenko's playing time. But the fact is that Millsap is ready to play regardless of the status of Carlos Boozer. If it means coach Jerry Sloan has to get a little creative, then it could come at the expense of Kirilenko.

Destination unknown: The Jazz have established themselves as playoff mainstays and even an upper-echelon-ish team in the conference. But are they going to break through or not? Until and unless the Jazz make it to the Finals, it's been there and done that.

-- By Matt Steinmetz, The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com