The Nets need someone to step up at power forward this season. They are going to give 21-year old Yi Jianlian the first shot at the starting job. He played in 61 games for the Nets last season and he averaged 23.3 minutes, 8.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. With the added minutes he will be getting at the start of the season the Nets will expect him to put up good numbers or he will return to coming off the bench. 23-year old Sean Williams is a player the Nets would like to show something this year as he is a former first round pick of theirs. He played in only 33 games last season for the Nets and he averaged 11.1 minutes, 2.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. 33-year old Tony Battie came over in the Vince Carter trade and he will likely get minutes at both power forward and center. He played in 77 games for the Magic last season and he averaged 15.6 mintues, 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Don’t expect much more production than that this year. 33-year old Eduardo Najera would be able to help the Nets this season if healthy. He plays all-out, all of the time and that rubs off on his teammates. Najera played in 27 games for the Nets last season and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 2.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POWER FORWARDS IN 2009-2010: D+