8 NBA Position Battles That Won't Be Solved in Training Camp

There are a handful of NBA position battles that will ensue over the next few weeks in training camp, but not all of them will be resolved by the end of the preseason.

NBA position competitions are different than NFL position competitions. They're not as black-and-white as football contests and don't depend as much on execution of specific plays. Instead, professional basketball playing time hinges more on chemistry and compatibility with teammates.

A few of the fiercest positional battles aren't even for starting roles, but they're still important to the team's cohesion and nightly production.

All the roster-shuffling this offseason will make for some intriguing competitions that will spill over into the regular season.

Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Small Forward

The starting small forward spot will be the Cleveland Cavaliers' worst starting position in the lineup, and there's a trio of young forwards who will try to earn that role.

Although Cleveland brought in free agent C.J. Miles to give him an opportunity to bolster the position, there are two other competitors who could steal the starting spot.

Omri Casspi and Alonzo Gee both have a legitimate shot. They both have similar overall production numbers as Miles, and actually have better career field-goal percentages than him.

The fact that these three players are all contenders for a starting spot in the NBA tells you that the Cavaliers still have work to do before they have a playoff-caliber roster. Until then, this small-forward contingent will have to do the job.

Utah Jazz Power Forward Minutes

The Jazz frontcourt has primarily featured Paul Millsap as the power forward and Al Jefferson as the center.

If that trend continues, young power forwards Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter will have to work hard to earn the remaining low-post minutes.

Both forwards are still somewhat raw, but already showing significant signs of development. They posted similar shooting percentages and efficiency numbers, and they even have similar per-minute rebounding numbers (both average more than 11 boards per 36 minutes).

Favors and Kanter will battle for backup power forward playing time, and they may even take some minutes from Paul Millsap as well.

Toronto Raptors Swingman Depth Chart

The new-look Toronto Raptors have a logjam at the swingman positions. There's only so much playing time to go around, and there are a lot of potential lineup combinations.

To give you an idea of the kind of personnel issues that Dwane Casey must sort out, here's a list of Toronto's swingmen:

1. DeMar DeRozan, 6'7"

2. Terrence Ross, 6'6"

3. Landry Fields, 6'7"

4. Lineas Kleiza, 6'8"

5. Quincy Acy, 6'7"

6. Dominic McGuire, 6'6"

7. Alan Anderson, 6'6"

The first three have a chance to get anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes per game, while the bottom four will duke it out for deep reserve minutes.

DeRozan has the upper hand for one of the swingman starting spots because he's already played with Andrea Bargnani. Ross and Fields will have a fierce competition for the other spot, and it might not be solved until Christmas.

Sacramento Kings Starting Point Guard

One of the major factors that will determine Sacramento's level of progression this season is point guard play. The Kings have two middle-tier floor generals who will vie for the starting job.

Assuming Jimmer Fredette will play more of a reserve combo-guard role, and Tyreke Evans will be more of a wing slasher, that leaves the point guard competition in the hands of Aaron Brooks and Isaiah Thomas.

Brooks is an explosive guard with relatively modest numbers. If he plays up to his 2009-10 standards (19.6 points, 5.3 assists per game with Houston), he should have the edge.

But this is 2012, Brooks is coming off a year in China, and Sacramento's 2011 second-round pick Isaiah Thomas showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie year.

Sac-town's point guard competition could last well into the season and change in accordance with who has the hot hand.

Golden State Warriors Small Forward Rotation

The re-shaping of the Golden State Warriors roster gives Mark Jackson several key lineup decisions to make, but none is more important than how to divide the playing time for the small forwards.

Is Harrison Barnes a lock to start? As a rookie, he might turn out to be a tall shooting guard who's pretty much a poor-man's Klay Thompson. Veteran forward Richard Jefferson could contend for that starting role.

For analysis' sake, let's assume Barnes does win the starting job.Then there will be a battle for court time to back him up in the rotation.

Not only will Jefferson and rookie Draymond Green compete for time, but Carl Landry will work to show he can play small forward if Golden State wants to go to a bigger lineup.

New York Knicks Backup Point Guard

If he plays up to his standards, Raymond Felton will emerge as the starting point guard for the New York Knicks.

But who should get the lion's share of backup minutes, Jason Kidd or Pablo Prigioni? Kidd is the better-known entity of the two, as he's equipped with a loaded resume and some of the best court vision we've ever seen.

But he's pushing 40, and incoming Argentinean sparkplug Pablo Prigioni could end up being a more valuable reserve. It might take more than a couple exhibition stints for us to see whether the 35-year-old rookie can be more effective in live NBA action than Kidd.

If J-Kidd has a bounce-back autumn, it could make this decision extremely difficult for Mike Woodson and the rest of the Knicks staff.

Denver Nuggets Small Forward Depth

Similar to the Toronto Raptors, the Denver Nuggets have a plethora of small forwards, and it may take months for the positional battle to produce an ideal rotation.

Luckily for the Nuggets, their crew of swingmen is more talented and playoff-worthy.

Andre Iguodala will likely start at shooting guard, but he's versatile enough to play small forward. Danilo Galinari is the probable starting small forward, but the battle for reserve swingman minutes will be tight.

Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer and Quincy Miller all offer unique attributes. Chandler is the most polished offensive player of the three, Brewer is the best defender and Miller provides the most length and upside.

George Karl will have a close eye on this position during training camp, but he may need more time than that to figure out who gets the bigger chunk of playing time.

Houston Rockets Starting Power Forward

General Manager Darryl Morey directed a massive roster overhaul this offseason. Consequently, a struggle will ensue for the starting power forward spot. Here's a quick breakdown of each candidate's situation:

Patrick Patterson: He has conventional power forward size, but he's not a particularly efficient shooter or effective rebounder.

Terrence Jones: Jones is a powerful rookie, but is his post-up game ready for the NBA paint?

Donatas Motiejunas: The tallest of this bunch, Motiejunas is a European enigma. He doesn't have the best chance of starting, but he will influence the battle for the position.

Chandler Parsons: He'll probably be the starting small forward, but he might become the power forward if the team goes with a smaller lineup.

Royce White: This rookie has an X-factor type of potential. Most likely a point-forward off the bench, but he could compete for either the small forward or power forward spots.

Patterson and Jones are the top contestants for the starting role, but all five are in the conversation.

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