So, in order to have a fruitful season, the rebuilding Nets will have to play every minute of every game with total passion and togetherness. Also, lots of guys need to have career years, and the hooplings will have to grow up in a hurry.

Among the Nets players, coaching staff, management and fans, the keyword is "patience."

The best that can be hoped for: Finish ahead of the Knicks.

New York Knicks

Whether he's on the team or not, Stephon Marbury is bound to be a $21 million headache for the Knicks. (Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE / Getty Images)

Isiah Thomas certainly left quite a mess behind. A mismatched roster loaded with guys who want to run, guys who can't run, stone-footed big men, and a host of non-shooters and non-defenders.

Mike D'Antoni's shoot-first-and-never-ask-questions game plan will get the most out of Jamal Crawford, Jared Jeffries, Mardy Collins, Nate Robinson, David Lee, and Winston Chandler. Plus Chris Duhon is much better than many pundits think he is.

But the lingering presence of Stephon Marbury will continue to haunt the team no matter how well he plays. It certainly won't take much for Marbury to turn into Darth Vader — not starting, not finishing, getting precipitously yanked to the bench, getting piqued by criticism in the aggressive New York media, giving the wrong answer in an interview.

Think of it this way: Is it worth taking a $21.9M hit to clear the stench from the locker room and truly commit the franchise to a fresh start? Or is it worth trying to squeeze some positive usage out of the guy?

Perhaps the Knicks are only keeping Marbury on the premises in hopes that an injury to the point guard of some contending team will make him tradeable.

In any event, the Knicks preseason enthusiasm could be quickly nullified by Starbury being Starbury or a three-game losing streak. Whichever comes first.

The best that can be hoped for: They generate headlines on the back pages of New York newspapers instead of on the front pages.

Philadelphia 76ers

The parts are all in place: A savvy point guard in Andre Miller. A monster in the middle in Elton Brand. A shot-blocking center in Samuel Dalembert. Andre Iguodala is a young stud ready to define his game without the immense pressure he was under before Brand signed on. Thaddeus Young is another star in the making. Louis Williams is potentially a super-sub. Plus there are a host of quality veteran backups in Theo Ratliff, Kareem Rush, Reggie Evans and Donyell Marshall ready to step in and do good work.

What are the Sixers' flaws? Erratic long-distance shooting. Williams' tendency to try to impose his will on a game. Miller's lack of speed and defensive shortcomings. Young's still being young.

Even so, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives.

The most pertinent question is this: How long will it take for this team to come together?

Whether the answer is after the All-Star game, by the playoffs, next year or beyond, at least the Sixers finally have a viable future.

The best that can be hoped for: Playing in the conference finals.

Toronto Raptors

Trading T. J. Ford was a great move for several reasons. It put the offense exclusively in the capable hands of Jose Calderon, who tends to over-handle, but who's stronger, slightly better defensively, and less prone to force shots than Ford. The trade also brought Jermaine O'Neal, who can hopefully cure the power shortage that has hampered the Raptors for so many years.

Even so, the roster remains top-heavy with shooters: Marshmallow-soft Andreas Bargnani. High-flying Jamario Moon. And Jason Kapono, who has no other NBA qualifications. Only Anthony Parker has a complete game, and is in fact one of the league's most underrated players.

Chris Bosh remains the face of the franchise, a slasher and mid-range jump shooter, who should be the primary beneficiary of O'Neal's husky presence in the paint.

But O'Neal remains the key to the Raptors' fortunes. In the past, playing in the low post has either worn him down or resulted in crippling injuries. Also, O'Neal has never been accused of delivering in clutch situations. Still, if he's willing to battle and bang in the paint, the Raptors will finally have a big man who will demand double-teaming. The result should be even more unchallenged long-distance jumpers than ever.

Even if O'Neal supplies the requisite interior force, the Raptors overall defense and lack of quality backups would remain problematic.

The best that can be hoped for: Advancing into the second round of the playoffs.