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This year's NBA campaign begins this week, signaling the initial occasion in a decade that Australia's pair of most prominent basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

Their absence indicates a changing of the guard, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as essential players for contending teams, with new huge contracts establishing them as some of Australia’s highest sporting earners.

They aren't the only ones. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for minutes across the NBA, including veteran centres Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to promising rookies like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Out to Prove Himself

Following lengthy discussions with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey finally signed his new deal worth US$100 million ($153m) over four seasons last month. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is affordable for his role and profile as a primary ball-handler. Hesitation for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the young star enters this season with a point to make.

After being moved by Oklahoma City at the beginning of last campaign, he observed as his old team charged to the NBA championship without him. As the Chicago look to reach the postseason in the weaker Eastern Conference, he will need to show his shooting and defence are elite-level or else he may slide towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Eyes Another Step

The guard agreed to the identical contract as Giddey recently, and after his MIP honor last season, the Hawks guard’s trajectory has skyrocketed in the city following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now lauded as one of the NBA's best defensive specialists, and topped the league in takeaways with 3.0 spg – more than one full takeaway per match greater than the tally of second place.

Performing next to dynamic Trae Young in Atlanta, the youngster can be successful this season as a secondary ballhandler and defensive stopper as long as the Hawks make the playoffs. But if he can improve his three-point shooting, which was below league average last year, and continue to develop his passing and driving, he could become one of the league’s most versatile talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Pacers wing the rookie has burst onto the scene as a fan favourite in Indiana following a succession of highlight-reel slam dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led league figure Pat Beverley to label him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a while”, and an invite to the mid-season slam dunk competition could be a possibility.

Following logging just eight minutes per contest over 50 games in his debut season, the former Maribyrnong College player is in contention for a Indiana rotation that might lean towards young players following setback to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker the Sydney native dropped in the June draft all the way to the second round, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland 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 drafted in the late picks to see much court time. But the Australian has earned minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot offers him a opportunity to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Ahead for Veteran Quintet

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to secure the starting centre position in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will be out for the start of the campaign after ankle surgery.

In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the experienced reserve to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play consistent action if the Blazers become competitive. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is likely to be deployed as a defensive spark in a reserve role.

In Charlotte, Josh Green’s summer shoulder surgery has resulted in him without a timeline to come back. The player still has a deal for the upcoming year, but will not want to give his teammates at the rebuilding Charlotte too much head start. And a physical issue has already slowed Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has been absent for important pre-season opportunities in the Mavericks.

Australian NBA Players On the Fringe

Then there are those who are not expected to see a lot of, if any, court time this year. Veteran Joe Ingles is returned in Minnesota, but seems to be primarily a big brother ensuring Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be nurtured by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Other rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the development pipeline, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be aiming to win minutes with Proctor for the Cavs.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a workout video posted on his accounts recently, demonstrating the 37-year-old remains sharp and focused on landing one more league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an break in Australia, angling and using with a Sherrin. Although he took to Instagram last month to deny rumors he was retired, the 29-year-old – an All Star as recently as 2021 – has yet to return to the league.