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This year's National Basketball Association season starts now, marking the initial occasion in a decade that Australia's pair of biggest basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are without a roster spot.

This change indicates a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ guard pair Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as key starters for playoff aspirants, with recently signed nine-figure contracts making them some of Australia’s highest athletic earners.

They aren't the only ones. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play for minutes across the NBA, ranging from veteran centres Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to promising draftees like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Aiming to Show His Worth

Following protracted negotiations with the Bulls, Giddey finally inked his new deal worth US$100 million (A$153 million) over four seasons recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and reputation as a lead playmaker. Hesitation for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal means the young star enters this season with a point to make.

Having been traded by the Thunder at the start of last season, he watched as his former squad charged to the NBA championship without him. As the Bulls look to reach the postseason in the less competitive East, he will need to demonstrate his scoring and defensive skills are starter-worthy or else he may slide towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

The guard agreed to the same deal as his counterpart this week, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Atlanta player's career has skyrocketed in the city following his departure from the New Orleans. He is now lauded as one of the league’s best defensive specialists, and led the league in steals with three per game – over one whole takeaway per game greater than the total of second place.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the 22-year-old can be successful this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and defensive stopper 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 distribution and driving, Daniels could become one of the association's most versatile talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Indiana forward the rookie has emerged as a fan favourite in the state following a series of highlight-reel dunks in pre-season. His athletic displays prompted NBA personality Pat Beverley to label him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an opportunity to the All-Star dunk contest could be on the table.

Following playing just eight minutes per contest over 50 appearances in his debut season, the former Maribyrnong College student is in the running for a Indiana lineup that might lean towards young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor A Long-Range Threat

Playmaker Proctor fell in the June draft down to the second round, where playoff hopefuls the Cavaliers picked him. The Cavs are front-runners to reach the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a rookie taken in the late picks to see much playing minutes. But the Sydney product has earned time in exhibition play, and his NBA-ready shot offers him a chance to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned big man Jock Landale has a opportunity to claim the starting centre position in the Grizzlies given top prospect Zach Edey will miss the start of the season after ankle surgery.

In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play consistent minutes if the team find themselves in the hunt. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is likely to be deployed as a defensive spark off the bench.

In Charlotte, Josh Green's summer shoulder procedure has resulted in him without a timeline to come back. The player still has a contract for the upcoming year, but won’t want to give his teammates at the rebuilding Charlotte an excessive head start. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has been absent for important pre-season opportunities in Dallas.

Aussie Hoopers On the Fringe

Then there are those who are unlikely to see a lot of, if any, game action this year. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Ingles is back in the Timberwolves, but seems to be little more than a mentor keeping Anthony Edwards focused.

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be nurtured by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Other rookies Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the experienced Luke Travers will be aiming to earn playing time alongside his compatriot for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was set to retire, he addressed it with a training clip posted on his social media over the weekend, demonstrating the 37-year-old remains 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 Sherrin. Although he took to social media recently to deny suggestions he was retired, the former All-Star – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has yet to return to the league.