There are many storylines to follow in the upcoming NBA season. The biggest news of the summer, Dwight Howard's departure from the Lakers to the Rockets, effectively redefined both teams.

There will be major changes for two players directly involved in that transfer. Jeremy Lin will now be tested, as the arrival of 'D12' signals the end of the  is not 'run and gun' offense. Pau Gasol will face the biggest crossroad of his career this season as he regains prime big man status.

In a development unrelated to Dwight Howard,  Jason Collins-the first NBA player to come out and openly admit to being gay, will probably take the court.

As part of SI's bold predictions, Jeremy Lin will have to play the pick and roll with Dwight Howard. The change is inevitable when you have the best center in the league joining your team. How will Linsanity adjust? 

At this point, Linsanity will have to be a little more-sane. His instincts and mannerisms of going full throttle, then making hasty decisions in mid-air will no longer thrive in the new Rockets' offense. With Howard in the paint, Lin will have clearer shots or use his speed for the quick curl when his man sags off to double D12.

While Howard's arrival signals a more-controlled offense, his departure allows another big man to cut loose. Pau Gasol, who is arguably the most skilled big man in the NBA will finally get to showcase his versatility. He was relegated to being a spot-up shooter in the Lakers offense last year as Howard demanded the ball early despite his poor low post moves.

Now, the ball will be in Pau's hands. He can showcase the moves that scared Team USA in Beijing during that gold medal game in the Olympics. He'll pile some assists with Chris Kaman, a good off- the-ball operator getting good looks near the basket. Most important for Pau: he's in his contract year, and this is his last chance to get a long-term deal.

Finally, which team will sign Jason Collins? Throughout the long season, it's inevitable that a center will fall to injury. Collins is a legit 7-footer who can provide quality minutes. Which city's LGBT community will paint rainbows on the stadium?