Who will be the Nets' starting power forward? Clauni was an early favorite, but Zeng Fanbo introduces uncertainty as he faces preseason trials.

On September 28th Beijing time, Sports Illustrated wrote about the Nets’ power forward selection, highlighting Chinese player Zeng Fanbo. The key content is —

The Nets possess a deep pool of candidates for the power forward position. Besides the nearly locked-in center (number five) Claxton, Sharp, Clauni, Tim, Zeng Fanbo, and Wolf all have the capability to play power forward — making the decision on who will start in that role more complicated.

We can initially exclude Sharp from the competition since he is better suited as a backup center rather than starting alongside Claxton. That leaves four remaining contenders.

Clauni, who noticeably bulked up this summer, should be considered the early favorite for the starting power forward spot. Under coach Fernandez, he has the most game experience and has repeatedly shown his potential. The Nets picked Clauni in the first round two years ago, and now is the time for the team to expect returns. However, like other candidates, whether Clauni starts depends on whether Michael Porter Jr. plays small forward: if Fernandez assigns Porter to power forward, the other players will compete for backup roles.

After Clauni, Wolf is the next most likely to get a chance — this versatile big man from the University of Michigan was a first-round pick by the Nets in June. Although Wolf is still raw and needs time to adjust to the NBA level, once integrated, he is expected to contribute to the team immediately.

Tim, despite improving his three-point shooting and qualifying to compete for the power forward spot, is better suited as a center. If he truly develops into a “stretch big,” his chances of starting will increase significantly, but his future largely depends on further progress in his shooting ability.

Zeng Fanbo is the “wild card” among these four — as a CBA star, public knowledge about him remains limited. He might surprise everyone in the U.S. like when he originally committed to Gonzaga years ago; alternatively, he could become a “low-risk, low-reward” developmental player. His role on the team will only become clear after the preseason.

Assuming Porter does not automatically secure the starting power forward spot, and considering the media attention so far, Clauni should currently be viewed as the favorite for the position. However, this does not rule out unexpected changes once the regular season starts. Therefore, although Clauni is the current frontrunner for starting power forward, the Nets’ lineup at that position may still evolve in the coming weeks.