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This year's National Basketball Association campaign begins now, signaling the initial occasion in a ten years that Australia's two most prominent hoops stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

This change indicates a changing of the guard, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for playoff aspirants, with new huge contracts establishing them as some of Australia’s top athletic income generators.

They aren't the only ones. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play for playing time 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 Aiming to Show His Worth

After protracted negotiations with the Bulls, Giddey ultimately inked his new deal worth $100m (A$153 million) over four years last month. It's a major deal for the Melbourne native, but in NBA terms 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 start of last campaign, he watched as his former squad charged to the NBA championship without him. As the Chicago aim to reach the postseason in the less competitive East, he will have to demonstrate his shooting and defensive skills are elite-level or else he may fall back towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

Daniels signed the same deal as Giddey recently, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Atlanta player's trajectory has skyrocketed in Atlanta following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now praised as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and led the league in takeaways with 3.0 spg – more than one full steal per game greater than the tally of the runner-up.

Playing next to flamboyant Trae Young in Atlanta, the youngster can be effective this campaign as a playmaking option and elite defender as long as the team advance to the postseason. But if he can improve his long-range game, which was below league average last season, and continue to enhance his distribution and attacking, Daniels could become one of the league’s most well-rounded talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Indiana forward Furphy has emerged as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a series of spectacular dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led league figure Pat Beverley to describe him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an invite to the All-Star dunk contest could be a possibility.

After logging just 8 mpg per game over 50 appearances in his rookie campaign, the ex- Maribyrnong College player is in contention for a Pacers rotation that might lean towards young players following setback to lead guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor A Long-Range Threat

Guard the Sydney native dropped in the NBA Draft all the way to the second round, where Eastern Conference contenders Cleveland picked him. The Cavaliers are front-runners to make the Finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be unusual for a rookie drafted in the second round to see significant playing minutes. But the Sydney product has seen time in pre-season, and his pro-level shooting offers him a chance to make an impact.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Veteran Quintet

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to secure the starting five position in the Grizzlies given highly-touted Zach Edey will be out for the opening of the campaign after a surgical procedure.

In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see consistent action if the team become in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is expected to be used as a defensive spark in a reserve role.

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 next season, but won’t want to give his colleagues at the developing Charlotte too much advantage. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has missed key pre-season opportunities in the Mavericks.

Aussie Hoopers On the Fringe

Additionally, there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, court time this season. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Ingles is back in the Timberwolves, but appears to be little more than a mentor keeping Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by the Wolves through their G-League team. Other first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be hoping to win playing time with his compatriot for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Fish for a Deal

If there were any doubts Patty Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a training clip shared on his accounts over the weekend, showing the veteran is still sharp and focused on securing one more league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an off-season in Australia, angling and playing with a Sherrin. Although he took to social media recently to reject suggestions he was done, the former All-Star – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet surface.