With the NBA season on the horizon, teams are starting their training camps. With the NBA preseason starting on October 5th, it’s finally time to say the NBA season has started. There will be many things to watch for and here are the top five.
Stars Returning From Injury.

Last year we saw many stars miss extended time due to injuries. Players like Russell Westbrook, Rajon Rondo,Danny Granger, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Love all missed time because of injuries. Other players like Andrew Bynum, Greg Oden and most importantly Derrick Rose will make their returns after missing all of last year.

While some of these players might not return in time for the preseason, all eyes will be on those that do. The biggest name that will be returning this preseason is Derrick Rose. After sitting out all of last year, and taking criticism from fans and teammates, Rose is finally ready to return. Kobe Bryant is another player that is expected to return during the preseason. After tearing his Achilles late in the year, Kobe is well ahead of schedule for his return and is eager to get back on the court. Look to see if these stars are back to their all-star selves. 

New Head Coaches

This past offseason there was an amazing 13 head coaching changes in the NBA. This is especially incredible when you realize that’s nearly a 50% turnover rate. Of these 13 new coaches, nine of them have no previous head coaching experience. Coaches Mike Brown, Maurice Cheeks and Doc Rivers are all starting fresh with new teams while Brad Stevens made the leap from Butler University to the NBA. Fans and owners alike will be watching how their new head coaches operate. Clippers new head coach Doc Rivers had great success with the Celtics and he’s looking to continue that trend with the Clippers. Meanwhile, rookie head coach Brad Stevens will look to lead the rebuilding effort of the Celtics, left to him by Doc Rivers. Another rookie head coach to keep an eye on is Jason Kidd. Kidd retired and was then hired by the Brooklyn Nets all within a matter of months.

Kidd takes over an extremely talented and veteran Nets team that looks to compete immediately. It will be interesting to see how players respond to someone who was their peer just a few months ago. All these coaches come from different backgrounds and enter into different scenarios. Some take over teams that are rebuilding, while others are taking over teams that are primed to compete immediately. Watch to see how they handle their new teams and if they can achieve success.

The New Look Nets

The Brooklyn Nets were one of the most talked about topics during the offseason. They completed a block buster trade with the Boston Celtics that netted them Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry. They also signed Russian forward Andrei Kirilenko. The Nets also hired the recently retired Jason Kidd to be their new head coach. The Nets are certainly primed to contend in the East but there are some serious questions that need to be answered. Will the Nets be able to compete with the Heat or the Derrick Rose led Bulls? The Nets championship window is certainly small as Pierce and Garnett could retie within a few years. Do their new additions have enough left in the tank or are they just declining veterans? And one of the most important questions is; can Jason Kidd control the locker-room and handle the duties of being a head coach for such a star studded team? Watch to see if the Nets can answer any of these questions during the preseason.

New Additions

The Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets were two other teams who added all-star caliber players to their rosters. After a frustrating and disappointing season with the Lakers, Dwight Howard is looking forward to a fresh start with the Rockets. With the addition of Howard, the Rockets are now viewed as one of the top teams in the West. Everyone will be watching to see if Howard can return to his dominant form and how he plays with fellow superstar James Harden. If Howard can play like the superstar he was in Orlando, the Rockets could be a very dangerous team.

Another team that made major additions to their roster was the Detroit Pistons. They went all in this offseason and added forward Josh Smith and point guard Brandon Jennings. However, these moves raised some serious questions. With so many ball dominate players how can the Pistons make sure everyone gets enough touches? Also, what position will Josh Smith play? Brandon Jennings and Josh Smith are two players that thrive with the ball in their hands. They also take to many ill-advised shots. So with two ball dominant players and two gifted big men, the Pistons will need to find a rotation that works best. Josh Smith can play both the power forward and small forward position however the Pistons would have some serious spacing issues if he was to play the three. Unfortunately if Smith plays at power forward then the Pistons must bench either Greg Monroe or Andre Drummond, which would hurt their development. The preseason will be a time for the Pistons to decide which rotations and lineups work best for them.

The Rookies

The preseason is the first time rookies get their first taste of NBA level competition. It is also a great time to determine just how quickly the rookies will be able to adjust to the NBA game. Some rookies like Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant thrive immediately. Others however struggle to contribute immediately. The preseason will give the coaches and fans their first glimpse at the rookies NBA readiness. Some of the drafts top picks will get a chance to show what they can do immediately. Look for players like Kelly Olynyk, Trey Burke, Otto Porter Jr. , Cody Zeller and Victor Oladipo among others to get immediate playing time. There will also be some surprise breakout players like Celtics point guard Phil Pressey, Suns guard Archie Goodwin, and Clippers guard Reggie Bullock; to name a few. What’s so awesome about the NBA and the preseason is that there will always be players that will breakout and surprise you and those that disappoint. It’s the unpredictability that all fans love. And even though the NBA preseason doesn't count towards the team’s official record, it’s where all stars, rookies and veterans were born.