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This year's NBA campaign starts this week, marking the initial occasion in a decade that Australia's pair of biggest basketball stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are without a roster spot.

This change indicates a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as essential players for contending teams, with new huge contracts establishing them as some of the country's top athletic income generators.

But they are not alone. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for playing time across the NBA, including experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, emerging wings in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to promising draftees like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Out to Prove Himself

After protracted discussions with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey ultimately signed his rookie extension worth US$100 million (A$153 million) over four years last month. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and reputation as a primary ball-handler. The reluctance for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the young star begins this year with a point to make.

Having been traded by the Thunder at the beginning of last campaign, he watched as his former squad stormed to the title without him. As the Bulls look to make the playoffs in the less competitive East, he will need to demonstrate his scoring and defence are elite-level or else he may slide towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

Daniels signed the same deal as Giddey this week, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Hawks player's trajectory has taken off in Atlanta following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now lauded as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and topped the league in steals with three per game – more than one whole takeaway per match greater than the total of the runner-up.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the 22-year-old can be effective this season as a secondary ballhandler and elite defender as long as the team advance to the postseason. But if he can improve his long-range game, which was subpar last year, and keep develop his passing and driving, he could become one of the league’s most versatile talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Indiana wing Furphy has burst onto the scene as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a succession of highlight-reel slam dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics prompted league figure Pat Beverley to label him as the “top Caucasian leaper we’ve seen in a while”, and an opportunity to the All-Star slam dunk competition could be on the table.

After logging just 8 mpg per game over 50 games in his debut season, the ex- college student is in contention for a Indiana lineup that might favor young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Guard Proctor fell in the June draft all the way to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls the Cavaliers selected him. The Cavs are front-runners to reach the NBA finals from the East, so it would be rare for a first-year player taken in the second round to see much court time. But the Australian has seen minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot offers him a chance to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Ahead for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned big man Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting centre position in Memphis given top prospect Zach Edey will miss the opening of the campaign after a surgical procedure.

In Portland, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play regular action if the team find themselves in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is expected to be deployed as a defensive specialist in a reserve role.

In the Hornets, Josh Green’s summer shoulder procedure has resulted in him with no return date to come back. The 24-year-old still has a contract for next season, but won’t want to give his teammates at the rebuilding Charlotte too much advantage. And a physical issue has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has been absent for important exhibition opportunities in Dallas.

Australian NBA Players On the Fringe

Then there are those who are not expected to see much, if any, court time this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but appears to be little more than a big brother keeping Anthony Edwards in check.

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be nurtured by the Wolves through their G-League team. Fellow rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be aiming to win playing time with Proctor for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a training clip shared on his social media recently, showing the 37-year-old is still sharp and focused on landing another NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an off-season in Australia, angling and using with a football. Although he posted on social media last month to deny rumors he was done, the former All-Star – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet surface.