The 10 Aussies carving $125m out of NBA pie this season
There are nine Australians to keep your eye on in the NBA, as the 2026-2027 gets underway on Wednesday.
That number should have been 10, but Ben Simmons’ heartbreaking Achilles injury on Monday has ruled him out for what would have been his comeback season.
Ben Simmons will miss the season with a torn Achilles. AP Photo/Eric Gay
Still, Aussies have carved out $125m of the NBA salary cap pie for the upcoming season – $180m if you want to include Kyrie Irving.
Irving, returning to Dallas off a torn ACL, is still hopeful of representing the Boomers at the Los Angeles Olympics, though that remains firmly up in the air.
There are fewer Aussies in the NBA this year, following the departures of Dante Exum and Joe Ingles, with the latter returning home to finish his career in the NBL.
Of that $125m, Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey make up just under $71m of it. Both signed near-identical $143m extensions in 2025 with Atlanta and Chicago respectively.
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta, $35m)
It's a big season for Daniels, who remains one of the league's best perimeter defenders, but must begin to develop his offensive game and in particular become a reliable three-point shooter.
He made a dismal 19 per cent of his three-point attempts last season, down from a career average of 32 per cent and dropped from 14 points per game in 2025 to just under 12.
The Hawks will be hoping Daniels can at the very least get back to the 34 per cent strike-rate from three he had in the 2025 season, and then continue to grow from there.
Josh Giddey (Chicago, $35m)
Giddey meanwhile had a career-best season in Chicago, averaging 17 points per game. He remains the point guard for an interesting Bulls roster, that features two promising young forwards in Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis.
Norman Powell arrives as a proven scoring guard to take some pressure off Giddey, but the team is projected to struggle overall in a strong Eastern Conference. Giddey was on the cusp of making the All-Star game last season, and any leap this year could vault him onto that stage.
Josh Green (Utah, $21m)
Josh Green will take home just over $20m this NBA season and he is likely still getting himself oriented after being traded from Charlotte to Minnesota and then to Utah in the span of a month.
The 25-year-old wing was initially part of the LaMelo Ball trade to the Timberwolves, but now finds himself with the Jazz and facing a battle to break into their rotation.
It’s a big season for Josh Green (right). AP
The Jazz have a number of wings who they will likely play ahead of him, including Ace Bailey and Lauri Markkanen.
It’s highly possible that he could once again find himself traded across the country.
Green has an expiring contract, which is a valuable trade piece in the NBA.
It means he could get packaged with draft picks to help Utah acquire a player of need.
Jock Landale (Atlanta, $20m)
Jock Landale of the Atlanta Hawks. Getty
Joining Daniels in Atlanta this season will be Aussie centre Jock Landale, who has a $19m contract for this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
This means he is playing for his future, but if last season is anything to go by, he has already become one of the NBA's most reliable back-up bigs.
Landale averaged 16.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season and knocked down 39 per cent of his three-point attempts. He is a more-than-capable interior defender and should play heavy minutes backing up Onyeka Okongwu across the season.
Matisse Thybulle (LA Lakers, $3.5m)
Matisse Thybulle is a particularly interesting case on the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed on a one-year $3.5m contract and should provide them with some much-needed wing defensive support off the bench.
The Lakers have an odd roster following LeBron James’ departure, built around guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Thybulle will be crucial for limiting their defensive deficiencies, if he is able to stay healthy, which has been his issue in recent seasons.
Johnny Furphy (Indiana, $3.2m)
Johnny Furphy of the Pacers. AP
Furphy is one to watch develop across the season, as he works his way back from a torn ACL.
Known as a prodigious dunker, the young Aussie has shown signs he belongs at NBA level with the Pacers, but will need to work his way back into the rotation when he returns in 2027.
Indiana has impressive depth and will be one of the clear contenders in the East, but the $3.25m wing's role remains unclear this season given the injury.
Tyrese Proctor (Cleveland, $3m)
Point guard Tyrese Proctor enters his second season with the Cavaliers after being selected in the 2025 draft, but this could be a breakout year for him.
The Cavs’ guard depth is questionable, given the departures of Dennis Schröder and Max Strus. There’s a world where he becomes a regular back-up for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in Cleveland. Proctor is still at the start of his career, but a strong season could also solidify a spot for him with the Boomers in the upcoming World Cup.
Two-Way Contracts ($1m)
We have two Aussies on two-way contracts this season, earning just under $1m each. The first is Duop Reath, who signed with the Phoenix Suns.
He has worked his way back from a significant foot injury, after being traded from Portland to Atlanta and ending up waived.
Phoenix big man Duop Reath poses in his new colours. Getty Images
Reath is an experienced centre who will be able to fill a role when required.
Then there's Rocco Zikarsky in Minnesota, who enters his second season after being taken in the 2025 draft.
The 221cm centre is young and raw, but clearly has a significant upside. He will spend the majority of this season once again with their G League team as he develops, but it will be interesting to see if he gets NBA opportunities, given the Timberwolves’ lack of depth at centre.
On Simmons briefly, his one-year $3.5m salary is guaranteed despite his torn Achilles, taking the total to $125m.
