Those $150m Players Transforming a Human Highlight Reel

This year's NBA campaign begins this week, signaling the initial occasion in a ten years that Aussie two most prominent hoops names – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are without a roster spot.

Their absence indicates a changing of the guard, as Australian backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for contending teams, with new nine-figure contracts making them some of the country's highest athletic earners.

They aren't the only ones. 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 intriguing draftees like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Aiming to Show His Worth

After lengthy discussions with the Bulls, Giddey ultimately signed his new deal worth US$100 million (A$153 million) over four seasons recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in NBA terms it is cheap for his role and profile as a primary ball-handler. The reluctance for Chicago’s front office to offer a max deal means the 23-year-old begins this year with a point to make.

After being moved by Oklahoma City at the beginning of last season, Giddey watched as his former squad stormed to the title without him. As the Bulls look to reach the postseason in the less competitive Eastern Conference, he will need to demonstrate his scoring and defensive skills are starter-worthy or else he may fall back towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Eyes Another Step

The guard signed the same deal as his counterpart this week, and after his most-improved player award last season, the Atlanta guard’s career has taken off in Atlanta 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 3.0 spg – over one whole steal per game greater than the total of the runner-up.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in the Hawks, the youngster can be successful this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and defensive stopper as long as the Hawks make the playoffs. But if he can improve his three-point shooting, which was below league average last season, 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 Furphy has burst onto the scene as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a succession of spectacular slam dunks in exhibition games. His athletic displays prompted league figure 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 eight minutes per contest over 50 games in his rookie campaign, the ex- Maribyrnong College player is in the running for a Pacers lineup that might favor youth following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker the Sydney native dropped in the June draft all the way to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls Cleveland selected him. The Cavs are front-runners to reach the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be rare for a rookie taken in the late picks to see significant court time. But the Australian has earned minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a opportunity to contribute.

Playing Time Squeeze Ahead for Veteran Quintet

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

In Portland, Duop Reath is the experienced reserve to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see regular minutes if the team find themselves in the hunt. His fellow player Matisse Thybulle is expected to be deployed as a defensive specialist off the bench.

In Charlotte, Josh Green's summer shoulder procedure has left him without a timeline to come back. The player still has a deal for next season, but will not want to allow his colleagues at the rebuilding Charlotte an excessive advantage. And injury has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has been absent for key pre-season opportunities in Dallas.

Aussie Hoopers On the Fringe

Additionally, there are those who are unlikely to see a lot of, if any, game action this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but seems to be little more than a big brother keeping Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by Minnesota Timberwolves through their G-League team. Fellow rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be aiming to win playing time alongside Proctor for the Cavs.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

If there were any doubts Mills was planning to end his career, he addressed it with a training clip shared on his social media recently, demonstrating the 37-year-old remains in form and focused on securing one more league deal.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an break in Australia, angling and using with a Sherrin. Although he took to Instagram recently to reject rumors he was done, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet return to the league.