The NBA campaign begins this week, marking the initial occasion in a ten years that Aussie pair of most prominent basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are unsigned.
This change signals a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as key starters for playoff aspirants, with recently signed nine-figure contracts making them some of Australia’s top sporting earners.
But they are not alone. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play 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.
Following protracted negotiations with the Chicago Bulls, the guard ultimately signed his rookie extension worth US$100 million (A$153 million) over four years recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melbourne native, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and profile as a lead playmaker. Hesitation for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal 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 observed as his former squad charged to the NBA championship without him. As the Chicago aim to make the playoffs in the less competitive Eastern Conference, he will have to demonstrate his shooting and defence are starter-worthy or else he may fall back towards the league's outskirts.
Daniels signed the same deal as his counterpart recently, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Atlanta guard’s trajectory has taken off in the city following his exit from the New Orleans. He is now lauded as one of the league’s best defensive specialists, and topped the league in takeaways with 3.0 spg – over one whole takeaway per game higher than the total of second place.
Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in Atlanta, the youngster can be successful this season as a playmaking option and elite defender 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 keep develop his distribution and driving, he could become one of the association's most well-rounded players.
Indiana forward Furphy has burst onto the scene as a fan favourite in Indiana following a series of spectacular slam dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led league figure Pat Beverley to describe him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a while”, and an opportunity to the All-Star slam dunk competition could be on the table.
Following logging just 8 mpg per contest over 50 games in his debut season, the ex- college player is in the running for a Indiana lineup that might favor young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.
Guard Proctor fell in the June draft down to the second round, where Eastern Conference contenders the Cavaliers picked him. The Cavaliers are front-runners to reach the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a rookie drafted in the late picks to see significant playing minutes. But the Australian has earned time in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a chance to contribute.
Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting centre position in the Grizzlies given top prospect Zach Edey will miss the opening of the campaign after a surgical procedure.
In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play regular action if the Blazers become competitive. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is likely to be deployed as a defensive spark off the bench.
In Charlotte, Josh Green's off-season shoulder surgery has left him without a timeline to come back. The 24-year-old still has a deal for the upcoming year, but will not want to give his colleagues at the developing Hornets an excessive advantage. And a physical issue has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has missed key pre-season opportunities in the Mavericks.
Then there are those who are not expected to see a lot of, if any, game action this season. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but appears to be little more than a big brother ensuring Anthony Edwards focused.
Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be developed by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Other first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be hoping to earn playing time with Proctor for the Cavaliers.
Should anyone question Patty Mills was planning to end his career, he addressed it with a workout video posted on his social media over the weekend, showing the 37-year-old is still in form and focused on landing another NBA contract.
Simmons' intentions is uncertain after an off-season in Australia, going fishing and playing with a Sherrin. Although he took to Instagram last month to deny suggestions he was done, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet return to the league.
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