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This year's National Basketball Association season tips off this week, signaling the initial occasion in a decade that Australia's pair of most prominent hoops stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are unsigned.

This change indicates a transition period, as Boomers’ backcourt duo Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as essential players for contending teams, with recently signed huge contracts establishing them as some of the country's top sporting income generators.

They aren't the only ones. Fourteen Australians are expected to play for minutes around the league, including experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, emerging wings in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to intriguing draftees like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Aiming to Show His Worth

Following protracted negotiations with the Chicago Bulls, the guard finally signed his new deal worth US$100 million (A$153 million) over four seasons last month. It's a major deal for the Melbourne native, but in NBA terms it is affordable for his role and profile as a lead playmaker. Hesitation for Chicago’s front office to pay top dollar means the 23-year-old enters this year with much to prove.

Having been traded by Oklahoma City at the beginning of last season, Giddey observed as his old team charged to the NBA championship in his absence. As the Chicago look to make the playoffs in the less competitive Eastern Conference, he will need to show 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 identical contract as his counterpart recently, and after his MIP honor last year, the Atlanta player's career has taken off in Atlanta following his departure from the Pelicans. He is now praised as one of the league’s best defensive specialists, and topped 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 dynamic Trae Young in Atlanta, the youngster can be effective this campaign as a playmaking option and defensive stopper as long as the team make the playoffs. But if he can improve his long-range game, which was below league average last year, and keep enhance his distribution and attacking, he could become one of the league’s most versatile talents.

Johnny Furphy A Dunking Sensation

Pacers forward Furphy has emerged as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a series of highlight-reel dunks in exhibition games. His athletic displays led NBA personality Pat Beverley to describe 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.

After playing just eight minutes per game over 50 games in his debut season, the former Maribyrnong College player is in the running for a Pacers lineup that might lean towards young players following injury to star playmaker Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor A Long-Range Threat

Guard Proctor fell in the NBA Draft down to the 49th pick, where playoff hopefuls the Cavaliers selected him. The Cavaliers are front-runners to reach the NBA finals from the East, so it would be unusual for a first-year player drafted in the late picks to see significant playing minutes. But the Australian has seen minutes in exhibition play, and his pro-level shooting gives him a opportunity to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Experienced Group

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to claim the starting five position in the Grizzlies given top prospect Zach Edey will miss the start 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 team become in the hunt. His fellow player 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 with no return date to come back. The player still has a deal for the upcoming year, but won’t want to allow his teammates at the developing Charlotte an excessive head start. And injury has already slowed Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has missed key exhibition opportunities in the Mavericks.

Aussie Hoopers Fighting for Roles

Then there are those who are unlikely to see a lot of, if any, court time this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is returned in the Timberwolves, but seems to be little more than a mentor keeping Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be developed by Minnesota Timberwolves through their G-League team. Fellow first-year players Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the more seasoned Luke Travers will be hoping to earn minutes alongside Proctor for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Fish for a Deal

If there were any doubts Mills was planning to end his career, he addressed it with a workout video shared on his accounts recently, showing the 37-year-old remains sharp and determined on landing one more NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is uncertain after an off-season in his homeland, going fishing and playing with a Sherrin. Although he posted on social media last month to reject suggestions he was done, the 29-year-old – an All Star as recently as 2021 – has yet to surface.