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

Their absence signals a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for contending teams, with new nine-figure contracts making them some of Australia’s top sporting earners.

They aren't the only ones. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for minutes across the NBA, ranging from 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 Aiming to Show His Worth

After lengthy negotiations with the Chicago Bulls, the guard finally inked his new deal worth $100m (A$153 million) over four years recently. It's a major deal for the Melburnian, but in NBA terms it is cheap for his role and profile as a primary ball-handler. Hesitation for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal means the 23-year-old enters this year with much to prove.

Having been traded by Oklahoma City at the beginning of last campaign, he observed as his former squad stormed to the NBA championship in his absence. As the Chicago look to reach the postseason in the weaker Eastern Conference, he will need to show his scoring and defence are starter-worthy or else he may fall back towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

The guard signed the identical contract as Giddey this week, and after his most-improved player award last year, the Atlanta guard’s trajectory has skyrocketed in Atlanta following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now lauded as one of the NBA's best defensive specialists, and led the league in takeaways with three per game – more than one full takeaway per match higher than the tally of the runner-up.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the youngster can be effective 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 below league average last year, and continue to enhance his distribution and attacking, he could become one of the association's most well-rounded players.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Indiana wing the rookie has emerged as a crowd favorite in the state following a series of highlight-reel dunks in exhibition games. His acrobatics led NBA personality Pat Beverley to label him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an invite to the All-Star slam dunk competition could be on the table.

Following playing just 8 mpg per game over 50 appearances in his rookie campaign, the former Maribyrnong College player is in contention for a Indiana rotation that might favor young players following injury to lead guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor dropped in the June draft all the way to the 49th pick, where Eastern Conference contenders the Cavaliers picked him. The Cavaliers are front-runners to make the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a first-year player drafted in the second round to see much playing minutes. But the Sydney product has seen minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot offers him a chance to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned centre Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting five spot in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will miss the start of the season after ankle surgery.

In Portland, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see consistent minutes if the team find themselves in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is likely to be used as a defensive specialist off the bench.

In the Hornets, Josh Green's summer shoulder procedure has left him without a timeline to return. The player still has a deal for the upcoming year, but will not want to allow his colleagues at the rebuilding Hornets 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 the Mavericks.

Aussie Hoopers Fighting for Roles

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

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by Minnesota Timberwolves through their affiliate team. Other first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the development pipeline, while the experienced Luke Travers will be hoping to earn playing time alongside Proctor for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

Should anyone question Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a workout video shared on his accounts recently, demonstrating the 37-year-old is still sharp and focused on securing another NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an off-season in his homeland, going fishing and using with a football. Even though he posted on Instagram last month to deny rumors he was done, the 29-year-old – an All Star as recently as 2021 – has not yet return to the league.