Three key Aussies remain in NBA limbo as our players grab $135m piece of the NBA pie in 2026
Dante Exum became the latest Australian to lock in his NBA future on Thursday, recommitting to the Dallas Mavericks on a one-year $3.5m AUD deal.
He will be a vital cog for the Mavs next season, as they look for guard depth while star Kyrie Irving rehabs a torn ACL.
Exum reportedly had options in free agency, but elected to return to Dallas, the team that brought him back to the NBA after his time playing in Europe.
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Dante Exum of the Dallas Mavericks. NBAE via Getty Images
Exum joined Joe Ingles as Aussies to re-sign with their existing franchise. Ingles sticking with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a deal worth $5.4m.
Given he only played 114 minutes with the Timberwolves last season, he has clearly been retained in a bench leadership role for the contending unit.
Things are less certain for Clippers pair Patty Mills and Ben Simmons, with both free agents still awaiting a deal.
The Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks have been teams linked with acquiring Simmons, who becomes a free agent after a turbulent few seasons with the Sixers, Nets and Clippers.
His $1.5m one-year deal with the Los Angeles side a far cry from the five-year max contract he had previously signed with Philadelphia. He will likely sign a similar contract this time around and add to his $309m career earnings.
The news surrounding Mills has been quieter however, with no strong links currently.
The 38-year-old recently agreed to become University of Hawaii men's basketball general manager, in a move that potentially signals his plans once he retires.
There remains hope Mills will opt to finish his basketball career back home with a stint in the NBL.
Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls celebrates with teammates. Getty
Things are also moving slowly for Josh Giddey as he awaits an extension with the Chicago Bulls.
The NBA's latest collective bargaining agreement has made it significantly harder for teams to make offers for restricted free agents, and none came for Giddey (or any RFA).
Brooklyn was seen as a team that could make an offer given their cap space, but they have added half a dozen guards through the draft and free agency.
This likely gives the Bulls a little more leverage in negotiations with Giddey, whose only other option would be a sign and trade with another team.
Giddey is reportedly in the mix for a deal worth potentially $46m per season with the Bulls, with the exact number and length of the deal still up in the air.
Jack McVeigh, who spent last season with Houston , hasn't been offered a new deal by the Rockets, but will join the Atlanta Hawks' Summer League roster. Luke Travers (Cavaliers) and Will Hickey (Bulls) will also feature in Summer League, with the former agreeing to another two-way contract.
Golden State has also extended a qualifying offer to Taran Armstrong, keeping the 23-year-old with the team on a two-way deal as well.
Tyrese Proctor of the Duke Blue Devils. Getty
It remains to be seen if Alex Ducas will return to Oklahoma City on a two-way deal, though he will receive a championship ring regardless.
We are certainly entering a boom period for Aussies in the NBA after Rocco Zikarsky (Timberwolves), Tyrese Proctor (Cavaliers), Alex Toohey (Warriors) and Lachlan Olbrich (Bulls) were selected in the second round of the 2025 draft.
They will join an already strong contingent of Australians with NBA contracts locked in for at least the 2025-2026 season.
Jock Landale has two years to run on a deal with the Rockets worth $24m and Josh Green similarly has two years left on his contract with the Hornets at $41m.
Mattise Thybulle opted into his player option with the Trailblazers worth $17.5m and Duop Reath also has one year left with the same team at $3.3m.
Then there's reigning NBA Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels who has one year left with the Hawks at $11.7m before he becomes eligible for a significant contract extension.
With all of the names above, and if we're including Irving, there could be as many as 20 Aussies in the NBA next season.
Including projections for Giddey, Simmons and Mills deals, our squad of Australians in the NBA will be earning roughly $135m in the 2025-2026 season. Add an extra $59m if you wish to include Irving, who also just signed a three-year extension with Dallas at $181m.
