The National Basketball Association campaign tips off this week, signaling the first time in a decade that Australia's pair of most prominent basketball names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are unsigned.
This change indicates a changing of the guard, as Boomers’ guard pair Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for contending teams, with recently signed nine-figure contracts establishing them as some of Australia’s top athletic earners.
They aren't the only ones. Fourteen Australians are set to compete for playing time across the NBA, including 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.
Following lengthy discussions with the Chicago Bulls, the guard ultimately signed his rookie extension worth US$100 million ($153m) over four years last month. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in NBA terms it is affordable for his role and profile as a lead playmaker. The reluctance for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal means the young star begins this year with a point to make.
Having been traded by the Thunder at the beginning of last season, he observed as his former squad stormed to the NBA championship in his absence. As the Bulls look to reach the postseason in the weaker East, he will need to demonstrate his scoring and defensive skills are elite-level or else he may slide towards the league's outskirts.
The guard agreed to the same deal as Giddey recently, and after his most-improved player award 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 defensive specialists, and led the league in steals with 3.0 spg – more than one whole takeaway per game greater than the tally of the runner-up.
Performing next to flamboyant Trae Young in the Hawks, the youngster can be effective this season as a secondary ballhandler and defensive stopper as long as the Hawks make the playoffs. But if he can improve his long-range game, which was subpar last season, and keep develop his distribution and driving, he could become one of the association's most well-rounded talents.
Pacers forward the rookie has burst onto the scene as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a series of spectacular dunks in exhibition games. His acrobatics prompted NBA personality Pat Beverley to describe him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a while”, and an opportunity to the All-Star dunk contest could be on the table.
After logging just 8 mpg per contest over 50 appearances in his debut season, the ex- Maribyrnong College player is in the running for a Indiana lineup that might lean towards young players following setback to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.
Guard Proctor fell in the NBA Draft all the way to the 49th pick, where Eastern Conference contenders Cleveland picked him. The Cavs are favourites to reach the Finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a rookie taken in the late picks to see much playing minutes. But the Sydney product has earned minutes in exhibition play, and his pro-level shooting offers him a opportunity to make an impact.
Veteran big man Jock Landale has a opportunity to claim the starting five spot in Memphis given top prospect Zach Edey will be out for the start of the campaign after a surgical procedure.
In Portland, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to young centres Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could play consistent minutes if the team find themselves in the hunt. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is likely to be deployed as a defensive spark in a reserve role.
In the Hornets, Josh Green’s summer shoulder procedure has left him with no return date to come back. The 24-year-old still has a deal for next season, but won’t want to give his colleagues at the rebuilding Hornets an excessive advantage. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has missed important pre-season opportunities in Dallas.
Then there are those who are unlikely to see much, if any, court time this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in the Timberwolves, but seems to be primarily a big brother keeping Anthony Edwards in check.
Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Other first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the development pipeline, while the experienced Luke Travers will be aiming to earn playing time alongside his compatriot for the Cavs.
If there were any doubts Mills was set to retire, he answered them with a training clip posted on his social media recently, showing the 37-year-old remains sharp and focused on securing one more league deal.
What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an break in his homeland, angling and using with a football. Even though he posted on social media recently to reject rumors he was retired, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet return to the league.
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