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This year's National Basketball Association season begins now, signaling 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’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as essential players for playoff aspirants, with recently signed huge contracts establishing them as some of Australia’s top sporting income generators.

But they are not alone. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for playing time around the league, including veteran centres 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 protracted negotiations with the Chicago Bulls, Giddey finally inked his new deal worth $100m (A$153 million) over four years last month. It's a major deal for the Melburnian, but in NBA terms it is cheap for Giddey’s position and profile as a lead playmaker. Hesitation for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal means the 23-year-old enters this year with much to prove.

After being moved by Oklahoma City at the start of last season, he observed as his former squad stormed to the NBA championship without him. As the Bulls aim to make the playoffs in the weaker East, he will need to show his shooting and defensive skills are starter-worthy or else he may slide towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Eyes Another Step

The guard agreed to the identical contract as his counterpart this week, and after his MIP honor last season, 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 NBA's best perimeter defenders, and topped the league in takeaways with 3.0 spg – more than one whole takeaway per game higher than the total of the runner-up.

Performing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the 22-year-old can be effective this campaign as a playmaking option and defensive stopper as long as the Hawks make the playoffs. But if he can improve his three-point shooting, which was subpar last year, and keep enhance his distribution and driving, Daniels could become one of the association's most well-rounded talents.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Pacers wing the rookie has emerged as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a series of highlight-reel dunks in pre-season. His athletic displays led NBA personality Pat Beverley to describe him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an invite to the mid-season dunk contest could be on the table.

After logging 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 youth following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Guard the Sydney native fell in the June draft down to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland picked him. The Cavs are front-runners to make the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a rookie taken in the second round to see significant court time. But the Sydney product has earned minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a chance to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Ahead for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned centre Jock Landale has a opportunity to claim the starting centre position in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will miss the start 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 play regular minutes if the team find themselves competitive. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is expected to be deployed as a defensive specialist off the bench.

In Charlotte, Josh Green’s off-season shoulder surgery has resulted in him without a timeline to return. The player still has a deal for next season, but won’t want to give his colleagues at the rebuilding Charlotte too much advantage. And injury has already slowed Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has missed important pre-season chances in the Mavericks.

Australian NBA Players Fighting for Roles

Additionally, there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, court time this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but appears to be little more than a big brother keeping Anthony Edwards in check.

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be nurtured by Minnesota Timberwolves 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 experienced Luke Travers will be aiming to earn playing time with his compatriot for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a training clip posted on his social media over the weekend, demonstrating the 37-year-old is still in form and focused on landing one more NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an break in Australia, angling and playing with a Sherrin. Even though he posted on Instagram last month to reject suggestions he was retired, the former All-Star – an All Star as recently as 2021 – has yet to return to the league.