The Power Forwards included in this list come from the power forwards listings on the ESPN.com players page. Before I hear all the complaints, I am putting Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan on the Centers list. Had they been on this list they would’ve been 1 & 2 respectively. Quick reminder, this is how I expect these players to perform in the upcoming season, not just how they performed in the past.

1. Dirk Nowitzki – Dallas Mavericks – 2008 Stats: 23.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG – Dirk finally has a superior point guard on his side that has the chance to guide him to the promised land. Although I strongly believe that the Mavs chance of winning the title are slim to none, the addition of Jason Kidd to the team, for a whole season, will help develop Dirk into a much better player. It will spread the floor and many of the baskets Dirk was scoring before will be much easier to get now.

2. Carlos Boozer – Utah Jazz – 2008 Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.4 RPG -With a point guard like Derron Williams on your team, how difficult can it possibly be to score easy baskets. Williams grew up and matured last season into a player with a compelte vision of the court. This season, let’s hope his growth continues and he finds more ways to get Boozer the ball under the basket for easy points. I projected Boozer to have a hell of a year as well because it’s a contract season for him and we all know what happens when players are about to become unrestricted free agents, they suddenly manage to put ridiculous number up.

3. Antawn Jamison – Washington Wizards – 2008 Stats: 21.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG – Jamison went down in the first game of the preseason but isn’t expected to be out for too long. With Gilbert Arenas potentially missing a portion of the regular season, Jamison will have to step up and be the counterpart to Caron Butler. Butler and Jamison played amazing together last year and I expect that their chemistry only improved. Jamison is extremely versatile and defenses do a lot of work planning for how to deal with him. His defense is quite good as well. I’d like to see him improve his outside shooting a bit moer in order to stretch the defense but he will be quite dominant this season as is.

4. David West – New Orleans Hornets – 2008 Stats: 20.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG – I said it for Carlos Boozer, and I’ll say the same thing for David West. With a point guard as high quality as Chris Paul, there is no doubt that as CP3 improves, so will everyone on his team. With Tyson Chandler playing the low post, David West has an opportunity to grow even stronger at the power forward spot. With the new acquisition of James Posey for the Hornets, West can concentrate more on playing his position when he is on the court. Peja Stojakovic was a great fit at the three spot for the Hornets, but Posey’s presence in the locker room and in the practice facilities will be a real asset to help West improve his defense. I think overall, that West is a unique character in the league that works extremely hard, plays extremely well, and doesn’t have the big name or the big ego.

5. Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors – 2008 Stats: 22.3 PPG, 8.7 RPG -How will Chris Bosh do this season? Who knows!! The Raptors pulled off a big trade this offseason to acquire Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal will be playing the center position while Bosh covers the power forward spot. The two have a chance to be a real great dynamic duo as neither is a true center, but both have the ability to play the position. The defense of the Raptors is expected to be extremely strong. I think the Raptors have a chance to compete with the front line of the Lakers. This will be a great season for Bosh to show what he’s truly capable of at each position.

6. Pau Gasol – Los Angeles Lakers – 2008 Stats: 18.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG -Gasol has his first full season with the Lakers coming up and his first season playing with an all star caliber center. Gasol has said for many years that his true position is the power forward spot. Many have discussed how Gasol may have difficulty adjusting to the PF spot because he never has played with a dominant center. Bynum will demand a good amount of space in the paint in order to make offensive plays, and Gasol will have to adjust to shooting from the outside. Based on what I’ve seen from Gasol in the preseason so far, his shooting is quite impressive. Hopefully he remains consistent from oustide of the key and will spread the floor for the Lakers a bit more.

7. Elton Brand – Philadelphia Sixers – 2008 Stats: 17.6 PPG, 8 RPG -I’m not even sure where to begin with this one. Elton Brand had an amazing career in Los Angeles playing with the Clippers. He has now been labeled as a player that has betrayed a franchise that was so committed to him for so many years. There will be a big chip on his shoulder to prove to Sixers fans that he was worth the money that the team paid him. I feel that he gave up a really good chance to succeed in LA and receive brilliant passes from Baron Davis. Andre Miller and Andre Igoudala are both superior back court players that will help Brand succeed in the weaker eastern conference. The East is slowly becoming more competitive but Brand has a chance to go deep into the playoffs for the first time in his career.

8. Shawn Marion – Miami Heat – 2008 Stats: 15.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG – Marion is one of the most versatile players in the league besides one other player on this list, yet to come. His outside shooting is superb for a power forward and his rebounding ability is simply incredible. He manages to keep every play alive for his team and does what needs to be done behind the scenes. He has often been criticized for wanting too much attention, but simply put, the man deserves it. He does the little things that noone else wants to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets traded midway through the season if the Heat aren’t doing too well. More to come on that at another time. For now, look for Marion to find a new groove with Wade and turn this franchise again yet once again.

9. Josh Smith – Atlanta Hawks – 2008 Stats: 17.2 PPG, 8.2 RPG -Smith has really evolved as a player over the last few years with the Hawks. There are several really strong players on his team that can help him grow. Coach Mike Woodson has really done a great job in developing talent individually, but hasn’t put together the team aspect yet. Josh Smith has a chance to really step up and make a difference for the entire city of Atlanta this season. He led the Hawks to the playoffs last season and took the eventual NBA Champs to seven games. Hopefully they can do even better this year and make some more noise. I’m sure that Smith has matured over the Summer and hopefully will use his experience to guide his team deeper into the playoffs.

10. Lamar Odom – Los Angeles Lakers – 2008 Stats: 14.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG – Lamar is by far the most versatile player in the NBA. Odom can play any position one through five and be competitive at it. I personally feel that he is just a very tall point guard because his strengths are his dribbling and his ability to slip into the lane and lay the ball in. He has a great eye for finding the open man and usually does pretty well on the boards. If Odom can finally develop a consistent shot and a stronger mental game with a killer instinct, he will be extremely successful. Also, keep in mind that this is a contract year for Odom and his last chance to prove that he deserves more than ten million per season.