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The NBA campaign begins now, marking the first time in a decade that Australia's pair of most prominent basketball stars – Ben Simmons and Patty Mills – are teamless.

Their absence signals a changing of the guard, as Australian guard pair Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels step up as key starters for contending teams, with recently signed huge contracts establishing them as some of the country's highest athletic earners.

But they are not alone. A group of 14 Aussies are expected to play for minutes around the league, ranging from 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 lengthy discussions with the Bulls, the guard finally signed his rookie extension worth $100m ($153m) over four seasons last month. It's a major deal for the Melburnian, but in NBA terms it is affordable for his role and reputation as a lead playmaker. Hesitation for the Bulls management to offer a max deal means the young star enters this year with much to prove.

Having been traded by the Thunder at the beginning of last season, he observed as his old team stormed to the NBA championship without him. As the Bulls aim to make the playoffs in the less competitive East, he will have to show his scoring and defence are elite-level or else he may slide towards the league's outskirts.

Dyson Daniels Targets Further Growth

The guard agreed to the same deal as Giddey recently, and after his MIP honor last season, the Hawks guard’s trajectory has skyrocketed in the city following his exit from the New Orleans. He is now praised as one of the NBA's best defensive specialists, and led the league in takeaways with three per game – more than one whole takeaway per game higher than the total of second place.

Performing next to flamboyant Trae Young in the Hawks, the youngster can be successful this campaign as a secondary ballhandler and elite defender as long as the team advance to the postseason. But if he can improve his three-point shooting, which was subpar last year, and continue to develop his distribution and driving, Daniels could become one of the association's most versatile players.

Johnny Furphy A Dunking Sensation

Indiana forward Furphy has burst onto the scene as a crowd favorite in Indiana following a series of spectacular dunks in pre-season. His acrobatics led NBA personality Pat Beverley to describe him as the “best white dunker we’ve seen in a long time”, and an invite to the All-Star dunk contest could be a possibility.

Following playing just 8 mpg per game over 50 games in his debut season, the former college student is in the running for a Indiana rotation that might lean towards young players following setback to lead guard Tyrese Haliburton.

Tyrese Proctor An Outside Shot

Playmaker Proctor dropped in the June draft all the way to the second round, where Eastern Conference contenders Cleveland selected him. The Cavaliers are front-runners to reach the Finals from the Eastern Conference, so it would be unusual for a rookie drafted in the second round to see much court time. But the Australian has earned minutes in exhibition play, and his NBA-ready shot gives him a chance to make an impact.

Playing Time Squeeze Ahead for Veteran Quintet

Veteran centre Jock Landale has a chance to secure the starting centre position in the Grizzlies given top prospect Zach Edey will miss the start of the season after ankle surgery.

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

In the Hornets, Josh Green's summer shoulder surgery has resulted in him without a timeline to come back. The 24-year-old still has a contract for the upcoming year, but won’t want to give his colleagues at the developing Hornets too much advantage. And a physical issue has already hindered Dante Exum, who has a knee problem and has missed key pre-season opportunities in the Mavericks.

Aussie Hoopers Fighting for Roles

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

Rookie Rocco Zikarsky is expected to be developed by the Wolves through their G-League team. Fellow rookies Lachlan Olbrich in the Bulls and Alex Toohey for the Warriors are also in the slow cooker, while the experienced Luke Travers will be aiming to win minutes alongside Proctor for the Cavaliers.

Ben Simmons and Patty Mills Seeking Contracts

Should anyone question Patty Mills was planning to end his career, he answered them with a workout video shared on his social media over the weekend, demonstrating the veteran is still sharp and focused on securing another NBA contract.

What Simmons is thinking is anyone’s guess after an off-season in Australia, angling and playing with a Sherrin. Although he posted on Instagram recently to reject rumors he was retired, the 29-year-old – an elite player as recently as 2021 – has yet to surface.