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This year's National Basketball Association season begins now, signaling the initial occasion in a decade that Australia's two biggest basketball stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

Their absence signals a transition period, as Australian guard pair Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels emerge as essential players for contending teams, with new huge contracts making them some of Australia’s highest athletic income generators.

They aren't the only ones. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play for minutes across the NBA, ranging from experienced big men Jock Landale and Duop Reath, up-and-coming forwards in Johnny Furphy and Josh Green, to promising rookies like Tyrese Proctor and Rocco Zikarsky.

Josh Giddey Out to Prove Himself

Following lengthy discussions with the Bulls, Giddey finally inked his new deal worth $100m (A$153 million) over four seasons recently. It’s a huge contract for the Melburnian, but in league standards it is cheap for his role and profile as a lead playmaker. The reluctance for Chicago’s front office to pay top dollar means the 23-year-old enters this season with a point to make.

Having been traded by the Thunder at the start of last campaign, he watched as his old team charged to the title in his absence. As the Bulls look to make the playoffs in the less competitive East, he will need to demonstrate his shooting and defensive skills are elite-level or else he may slide towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Eyes Another Step

The guard agreed to the same deal as Giddey recently, and after his most-improved player award last season, the Hawks guard’s trajectory has taken off in the city following his departure 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 – more than one whole takeaway per match greater than the total of second place.

Playing next to dynamic Trae Young in Atlanta, the 22-year-old can be effective this campaign as a playmaking option and elite defender as long as the Hawks advance to the postseason. But if he can improve his long-range game, which was below league average last season, and keep develop his distribution and attacking, Daniels could become one of the league’s most versatile talents.

Johnny Furphy A Dunking Sensation

Pacers wing the rookie has burst onto the scene as a fan favourite in Indiana following a succession of highlight-reel slam dunks in exhibition games. His acrobatics prompted league figure Pat Beverley to describe him as the “top Caucasian leaper we’ve seen in a long time”, and an opportunity to the All-Star slam dunk competition could be a possibility.

After playing just eight minutes per game over 50 appearances in his rookie campaign, the ex- college student is in contention for a Indiana rotation that might lean towards young players following setback to lead guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor fell in the NBA Draft down to the second round, where Eastern Conference contenders the Cavaliers picked him. The Cavaliers are favourites to make the NBA finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be unusual for a rookie taken in the second round to see significant playing minutes. But the Sydney product has seen minutes in pre-season, and his NBA-ready shot offers him a chance to contribute.

Minutes Crunch Looms for Veteran Quintet

Seasoned centre Jock Landale has a opportunity to claim the starting centre position in Memphis given highly-touted Zach Edey will be out for the start of the campaign after ankle surgery.

In Portland, Duop Reath is the veteran backup to youthful big men Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, but could see regular action if the team become in the hunt. His teammate Matisse Thybulle is likely to be used as a defensive specialist in a reserve role.

In Charlotte, Josh Green’s off-season shoulder surgery has resulted in him without a timeline to return. The player still has a contract for the upcoming year, but will not want to allow his teammates at the rebuilding Hornets too much head start. And a physical issue has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee complaint and has been absent for important exhibition opportunities in Dallas.

Aussie Hoopers On the Fringe

Then there are those who are not expected to see a lot of, if any, game action this season. Veteran Joe Ingles is back in Minnesota, but appears to be primarily a mentor keeping Anthony Edwards focused.

Rocco Zikarsky is likely to be nurtured by the Wolves through their affiliate team. Fellow rookies Lachlan Olbrich in Chicago and Alex Toohey for the Golden State Warriors are also in the development pipeline, while the experienced Luke Travers will be aiming to win playing time with his compatriot for the Cavs.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Fish for a Deal

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

Simmons' intentions is anyone’s guess after an break in Australia, going fishing and playing with a football. Although he took to social media recently to reject suggestions he was done, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has not yet surface.