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This year's National Basketball Association season tips off this week, signaling the initial occasion in a ten years that Aussie two biggest hoops names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are without a roster spot.

Their absence indicates a transition period, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for playoff aspirants, with recently signed huge contracts making them some of the country's highest sporting earners.

But they are not alone. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play for minutes around the league, including experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards 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 Bulls, the guard ultimately inked his new deal worth US$100 million (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 lead playmaker. The reluctance for the Bulls management to pay top dollar means the 23-year-old begins this year with a point to make.

Having been traded by Oklahoma City at the start of last season, he observed as his former squad charged to the title in his absence. As the Chicago aim to make the playoffs in the less competitive East, he will need to show his shooting and defensive skills are starter-worthy or else he may slide 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 season, the Atlanta player's trajectory has skyrocketed in the city following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now lauded as one of the NBA's best defensive specialists, and led the league in steals with 3.0 spg – more than one full steal per game greater than the tally of second place.

Performing next to flamboyant Trae Young in the Hawks, the youngster can be effective this season as a playmaking option and elite defender as long as the team make the playoffs. But if he can improve his three-point shooting, which was subpar last year, and continue to develop his distribution and attacking, he could become one of the association's most well-rounded players.

Johnny Furphy On Highlight Watch

Pacers wing Furphy has burst onto the scene as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a succession of spectacular dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics prompted league figure Pat Beverley to label him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an invite to the All-Star dunk contest could be on the table.

After playing just eight minutes per game over 50 games in his rookie campaign, the former college player is in contention for a Pacers rotation that might lean towards young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor fell in the June draft all the way to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland selected him. The Cavaliers are favourites to make the NBA finals from the East, so it would be unusual for a first-year player drafted in the second round to see significant court time. But the Sydney product has seen time in pre-season, and his pro-level shooting gives him a chance to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Looms for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned centre Jock Landale has a opportunity to claim the starting five spot in the Grizzlies given highly-touted Zach Edey will be out for the opening of the season after a surgical procedure.

In the Trail Blazers, Duop Reath is the experienced reserve to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see consistent action if the Blazers find themselves competitive. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is likely to be used as a defensive spark in a reserve role.

In the Hornets, Josh Green's summer shoulder surgery has left him without a timeline to come back. The player still has a deal for the upcoming year, but won’t want to allow his colleagues at the rebuilding Hornets an excessive advantage. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has been absent for important exhibition opportunities in Dallas.

Aussie Hoopers On the Fringe

Additionally, there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, game action this year. Thirty-eight-year-old Joe Ingles is returned in the Timberwolves, but seems to be little more than a mentor keeping Anthony Edwards in check.

Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by Minnesota Timberwolves through their affiliate team. Fellow 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 hoping to win playing time alongside his compatriot for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Patty Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a workout video shared on his social media over the weekend, demonstrating the 37-year-old is still in form and focused on landing one more league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an off-season in Australia, angling and using with a Sherrin. Even though he took to social media recently to deny suggestions he was done, the 29-year-old – an All Star as recently as 2021 – has yet to surface.