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Paul Silas, Cleveland Cavaliers
The veteran Silas takes over a team that last season tied Denver for the league's worst record (17-65). Silas must find a way to instill order and consistency in a team that gave up too many points (101 per game) and shot the ball badly (.422). Rookie LeBron James and the explosive but erratic, Ricky Davis, represent the quality but raw talent that Silas must use to develop a winning team.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Emphasize the need for strong team defense and drill the basic rules to carry it out.

2. Construct a viable team offense that uses the skills of his talent to best advantage, and decide on a playmaker to run that game plan.

3. Determine player responsibilities and set clear roles for each player.

4. Help the talented James adapt to the NBA game; guide him over the special rookie problems he'll face; but otherwise treat him the same as the other players.

5. Work with the big men - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Carlos Boozer, Chris Mihm, DeSagana Diop, Michael Stewart and Bruno Sundov - to maximize their input into the total team game.

Larry Brown, Detroit Pistons

Brown takes over a winning team that needs better communication with its coach. This is a strength of Brown's, who will clearly establish player roles and develop a less structured, but more productive offense. The Pistons scored only 91.4 points a game (26th in the league).

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Establish a focused, but relaxed atmosphere in the locker room and on the court.

2. Tweak the defense - last season's league leader in points allowed (87.7) - to give more help to Ben Wallace, the NBA's top rebounder (15.4) and second best shot-blocker (3.15).

3. Create a more uptempo game that maximizes the skills of Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, and newcomer Bob Sura and opens up better scoring opportunities in halfcourt.

4. Work with point guards Chauncey Billups, Chucky Atkins and Lindsey Hunter to improve their playmaking skills and achieve better assist/turnover ratios.

5. Find minutes for Darko Milicic. He's a rookie with star potential.

Jeff Van Gundy, Houston Rockets

The experienced Van Gundy takes over a team with playoff potential, but one that needs stronger direction in how to get there. His first priority is to change the offensive focus from guard-oriented, , to one that better uses the inside skills of the big men - principally Yao Ming. Improved shot selection and fewer turnovers - 15.6 last season, 21st in the league - will also help to upgrade the team offense. Van Gundy will put proper emphasis on defense - already among the league's best in field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Instill a winning attitude..."team first" rather than "me first".

2. Set standards for the maintenance of proper player conditioning - especially for big men Yao and Maurice Taylor.

3. Establish a relationship with Francis that results in an improved balance between his scoring skills (21 points a game) and his playmaking responsibilities (6.2 ast/3.7to).

4. Develop an offense that involves Yao as an early pass receiver. He averaged fewer than 10 field goal attempts a game, although he shot .498 from the field and .811 from the line, and has the potential to be an excellent passer.

5. Work out a player rotation that uses the full potential of the squad. New players like Eric Piatkowski, Jim Jackson and John Amaechi need to get minutes.

Rick Carlisle, Indiana Pacers

Carlisle comes to the Pacers with Coach of the Year honors from 2002, but with a reputation for being brusque and aloof - factors which caused his dismissal at Detroit. But Rick also has shown the ability to get a team to over-achieve - something the Pacers have demonstrated a lack of.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Demonstrate an openness to the players and a willingness to listen, but retain your authority in making final decisions.

2. Show the players how you can help them to be a better team than they were in recent years under Isiah Thomas. Once you've done that, they'll accept you immediately.

3. Give Kenny Anderson the chance to be the lead point guard. Consistent playmaking will solve many of the team's problems of scoring down the stretch of close games.

4. Establish and maintain rules of discipline from the beginning. Apply them to all players without exception - this is especially important for Ron Artest.

5. In preseason games, establish a rotation of big men Jermaine O'Neal, Scot Pollard and Jeff Foster to strengthen basket area defense and rebounding; and find minutes for Jon Bender, Al Harrington and Austin Croshere.

Mike Dunleavy, Los Angeles Clippers

Dunleavy, back in the league after a 3-year hiatus, needs to re-establish himself as a winning NBA coach. It won't be an easy task with the Clippers, who were 27-55 last season, while struggling through an injury-plagued year. Dunleavy must get his players to think they can win - then show them how they can win; and that starts in training camp.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Set a no-nonsense, business-like tone to every practice session.

2. Establish the need for effective team defense. The Clippers gave up 4 more points than they scored (97.9 to 93.8) and were out-shot from the field .447 to .437.

3. Establish and clearly communicate the roles he wants for all personnel.

4. Find a way to cover the center position with last season's first round pick, Chris Kaman, hampered by injury.

5. Make a decision on the rotation of point guards Keyon Dooling, Marko Jaric and Quentin Richardson. Once that decision is made, teach them the game you want played.

Terry Porter, Milwaukee Bucks

Porter will discover that his first experience as head coach is far different than any he's had as a player or assistant coach. His first job is to establish his authority. He can accomplish that by the way he organizes his practices, his no-nonsense manner with his players, and his ability to teach the game he wants them to play. The Bucks were a disappointing 42-40 last season under George Karl, have made some personnel changes, and will be receptive to Porter's different approach.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Be the Boss.

2. Set a quick pace to practice activities with adequate time segments for conditioning and drill-work on defense and offense.

3. Establish rules for an effective team defense. The Bucks ranked 25th in points allowed (99.3), 27th in field goal defense (.458), and 28th in total rebounds.

4. Maximize the perimeter scoring of Desmond Mason, Michael Redd, Tim Thomas and Toni Kukoc while incorporating the inside games of newcomers Joe Smith and Brian Skinner.

5. Help T.J. Ford overcome the pitfalls of being a rookie NBA point guard.

Tim Floyd, New Orleans

Floyd needs to show this veteran Hornets team he's a quality basketball coach. He can do that by being himself and coaching the way he's coached in the past. Unlike his last assignment in Chicago, Floyd now has the players to carry out his theories and demands.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Organize and carry out practices efficiently.

2. Demonstrate in preseason games the ability to draw up and carry out a winning game plan, to make effective player rotations, and a readiness to make quick adjustments in strategy.

3. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The Hornets' overall game is pretty good. This is a veteran team that won 47 games last season, has a solid basic offense, and was 5th best in the league in points allowed. Tweak it, but don't change it.

4. Key players, Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn, are both injury-prone and need their activities monitored. A full season of availability at 30-35 minutes is better than half a year at 35-40.That pattern should start in the preseason.

5. Work on further developing the skills of big men Jamaal Magloire, Robert 'Tractor' Traylor and rookie James Lang. Their contribution to an improved team performance is vital.

Randy Ayers, Philadelphia 76ers

Taking over for Larry Brown has plusses and minuses. The good news for the players is that they won't have Brown's incessant carping to contend with. The other side of that coin is that they won't have Brown's game experience and resiliency to carry them over the rough spots. But Ayers can coach - and the players already know that.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Be the same coach the players knew as an assistant, but be firm in assuming the new responsibilities of head coach.

2. Organize practices and carry them out the same way Brown did, but demonstrate your own personality and initiative.

3. Build a total team game that uses the exceptional skills of Allen Iverson, but isn't totally dependent on him.

4. Stand tall when your authority is challenged. Know what the parameters are for player discipline and use them quickly, fairly and equally.

5.Work Sam Dalembert and Amal McCaskill into the rotation with Derrick Coleman at center. A successful season depends on effective play at that position.

Kevin O'Neill, Toronto Raptors

Rookie coach O'Neill needs to give the Raptors an infusion of energy and unselfish team play. He was able to establish solid rapport with Detroit players as an assistant, and that will work for him in Toronto too ... once he's established his leadership as the head coach. O'Neill has a major challenge to get the Raptors, 24-58 last season, back on a winning track.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Get Vince Carter on board with your game plan and willing to accept a leadership role on the team.

2. Establish an improved plan of offense and defense. The Raptors were outscored 96.8 to 90.9, and out-shot from the field .461 (highest in the league) to .427 (lowest in the league) last season.

3. Use the speed and energy of reserve players Jerome Moiso, Michael Curry and Jerome Williams to maintain the uptempo attack of starters Carter, Mo Peterson and Alvin Williams.

4. Give plenty of attention on and off the court to talented rookie Chris Bosh. He's a potential force in the front line.

5. Develop Mengke Bateer as a capable backup to Antonio Davis at center.

Eddie Jordan, Washington Wizards

Jordan brings to his new job the theories of offense that he implemented with much success in New Jersey. The Wizards, 37-45 last season, scored only 91.5 points a game (24th in the league) and need all the help he can give in that department. Jordan is counting on the fresh outlook of veterans Gilbert Arenas and Chris Whitney and rookies Steve Blake and Jarvis Hayes to help him turn the team around.

5 THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH DURING PRESEASON

1. Develop an open team attitude to dispel the aura of discontent that prevailed in recent years, but impose your own position of authority.

2. Get veteran players Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes and Christian Laettner to buy into your offensive game plan. They'll sell it to the others.

3. Build on the team defensive concepts already in place. The Wizards were 10th in the league in points allowed (92.5) last season.

4. Insist on stronger, more consistent performances from big men Laettner, Kwame Brown, Brendon Haywood, Jared Jeffries, Eton Thomas and Jahidi White. The Wizards ranked 27th in the league in total rebounds and 20th in blocked shots. Those figures must improve.

5. Utilize the ample fire power of perimeter players Arenas, Stackhouse, Hughes, Whitney and Juan Dixon to generate an uptempo game pace.