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This year's National Basketball Association campaign tips off this week, marking the initial occasion in a ten years that Australia's pair of biggest basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are without a roster spot.

This change indicates a transition period, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for playoff aspirants, with new huge contracts making them some of the country's highest athletic earners.

They aren't the only ones. A group of 14 Aussies are set to compete for playing time across the NBA, including experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to intriguing rookies like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Aiming to Show His Worth

After protracted discussions with the Bulls, Giddey finally inked his rookie extension worth $100m (A$153 million) over four years recently. It's a major deal for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and reputation as a lead playmaker. The reluctance for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the young star enters this year with a point to make.

After being moved by the Thunder at the beginning of last campaign, Giddey watched as his former squad charged to the NBA championship without him. As the Bulls look to reach the postseason in the less competitive Eastern Conference, he will have to demonstrate his scoring and defensive skills are elite-level or else he may fall back towards the NBA’s fringe.

Dyson Daniels Eyes Another Step

The guard signed the identical contract as Giddey this week, and after his MIP honor last season, the Atlanta player'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 perimeter defenders, and topped the league in steals with three per game – more than one full steal per match higher than the total of second place.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in Atlanta, the 22-year-old can be successful this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and elite defender as long as the Hawks make the playoffs. But if he can elevate his long-range game, which was below league average last season, and continue to develop his distribution and attacking, Daniels could become one of the league’s most versatile players.

Johnny Furphy A Dunking Sensation

Pacers wing Furphy has burst onto the scene as a fan favourite in the state following a succession of highlight-reel slam dunks in pre-season. His athletic displays prompted NBA personality Pat Beverley to label him as the “top Caucasian leaper we’ve seen in a while”, and an invite to the mid-season dunk contest could be a possibility.

Following logging just 8 mpg per game over 50 appearances in his rookie campaign, the former college student is in the running for a Pacers rotation that might favor youth following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor fell in the NBA Draft down to the second round, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland selected him. The Cavs are front-runners to make the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a first-year player taken in the second round to see significant playing minutes. But the Australian has earned minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a chance to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Looms for Experienced Group

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a opportunity to secure the starting centre spot in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will miss 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 play regular action if the team become in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is likely to be used as a defensive spark off the bench.

In Charlotte, Josh Green’s off-season shoulder procedure has resulted in him without a timeline to return. The 24-year-old still has a deal for the upcoming year, but won’t want to give his teammates at the developing Hornets too much head start. And injury has already slowed Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has been absent for important exhibition chances in Dallas.

Australian NBA Players Fighting for Roles

Then there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, court time this season. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but appears to be primarily a big brother ensuring Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be developed by Minnesota Timberwolves through their affiliate team. Fellow rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be aiming to win minutes with his compatriot for the Cavs.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was planning to end his career, he answered them with a workout video posted on his social media over the weekend, demonstrating the 37-year-old is still in form and determined on landing one more league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an off-season in Australia, going fishing and playing with a Sherrin. Although he took to social media last month to reject suggestions he was done, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet surface.