It has been an eventful summer for Australians in the NBA, with four players switching teams — and in the case of veteran guard Patty Mills, traded three times already.
The movement may not be over either, with Ben Simmons a name to watch in a potential blockbuster three-team deal involving Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard.
In the meantime though there is plenty to catch up on, so here is the latest on all the Australian players in the NBA and those participating in the Summer League.
Watch The Biggest Sports from The US with ESPN on Kayo. NBA, NHL, MLB & NFL. Live Coverage Every Week in Season. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
‘Fly Aussie flag’ Giddey at UFC 290 | 02:42
BEN SIMMONS (Brooklyn Nets)
The three-time All-Star won’t be suiting up for the Boomers but it sounds like the Nets are quietly optimistic Ben Simmons is not far away from being healthy again.
Simmons last played in February before being shut down for the remainder of the season due to a nerve impingement in his back.
Speaking to reporters including The New York Post last week, Nets coach Jacque Vaughn sounded hopeful on the Australian’s chances of being fit for training camp.
“We’ve had contact for sure. All of our guys have been locked-in, really keeping us informed. … I’m looking forward to a healthy Ben Simmons and coaching him,” Vaughn said.
“I’m not going to get into any dates or anything. My expectation is I look forward to coaching him healthy and our entire group being able to start the year together and go through training camp together. Those things are important for our group.”
Simmons was a shell of his former self at times last season at Brooklyn, averaging 6.9 points while attempting just 5.6 field goals per game.
The defence and playmaking was still there but it was clear at times that Simmons lacked the confidence — both mentally and physically — to maintain aggression on the offensive end.
Simmons still has nearly $78 million ($A117m) left on his five-year, $177 million ($A266m) extension that he signed with the 76ers back in July of 2019.
The Australian has been linked to the Portland Trail Blazers as a potential trade piece in a move for star guard Damian Lillard, although it would likely have to involve a third team.
Heat insider Greg Sylvander reported last week that “one challenge in negotiations” has been the fact Brooklyn is looking to move on Simmons as part of the deal.
“The sticking point being that no team is particularly interested in taking him so far,” a source told Sylvander.
Simmons’ elite defence would certainly be a welcome boost for the rebuilding Blazers, although with so many question marks around the rest of his game Portland may be better off building around its existing young core.
JOSH GREEN (Dallas Mavericks)
The Dallas Mavericks are ready to go all-in again after a disappointing end to last season, extending Kyrie Irving in free agency and continuing to build around Luka Doncic.
Seth Curry and Grant Williams are among the new names heading to Dallas next season while Australian Dante Exum has been rewarded for his impressive form in Europe.
How far the Mavericks go could also be determined by whether some of the team’s younger players take another step and that includes Australian Josh Green.
Green will technically be entering his fourth season in the league, although his first with the Mavericks came during the bubble where he averaged just 11.4 minutes in 39 games.
The 22-year-old has seen his role steadily grow since then and while Green’s defence remains a strength, improvements on offence will determine just how many minutes he will get.
Green had stages last season where he flashed his scoring potential, stepping up when either Doncic or Irving were sidelined to prove there is definitely something there to work with.
In fact, Green had one of his better games of the season with both Doncic and Irving unavailable, exploding for a career-high 29 points in February against the Utah Jazz.
The challenge for Green though is to find a way to carry that confidence over when he is playing with Irving and Doncic, who both excel with their hands on the ball.
It may not be confidence anyway for Green, who is a pass-first guard who always tends to look for an open teammate before attempting his own shots.
Finding a balance between those pass-first tendencies and being more selfish in a good way will be the key for Green’s development.
Despite a shaky end to the season, the Mavericks gave Green another vote of confidence by not trading him in any deals despite the Australian being one of their more valuable assets.
“Sources say that Hawks, who tried in vain to trade No. 15 and John Collins to Dallas for No. 10 and Dāvis Bertāns, told the Mavericks they would surrender Capela only if the Mavericks added swingman Josh Green to the trade,” Stein wrote on his Substack.
“The Mavericks, sources say, rejected that idea like they did all proposals involving Collins.”
ESPN’s MacMahon, meanwhile, reported on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast that the Mavericks also asked for Clint Capela.
“My understanding is that the Hawks asked for the Mavericks to throw in Josh Green or Jaden Hardy, which that’s a no-go. Those are young players that the Mavericks really like,” he reported.
DANTE EXUM (Dallas Mavericks)
Green won’t be the only Australian on the Mavericks roster next season though, with Dante Exum earning an NBA recall after two years out of the league.
Exum, who was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the fifth overall pick back in 2014, had the early stages of his career disrupted by a string of injuries.
There is still plenty left in the 27-year-old, who spent the last two seasons playing in Europe, first suiting up for FC Barcelona and then Partizan Belgrade.
Exum played 38 games in his 2022-23 campaign for Partizan, averaging 13.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 23.0 minutes per game while shooting 52.0 per cent from the floor and 39.3 per cent from deep.
It is in defence though where Exum could make a real impact with his versatility for a Mavericks team that was found lacking on that end of the floor.
JOCK LANDALE (Houston Rockets)
The Houston Rockets have been one of the more intriguing teams in this year’s free agency period, signing Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks on big-money deals.
Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez was another target but when he instead returned to the Bucks on a two-year deal, Houston was forced to look elsewhere to bolster its defence.
Enter Landale, who signed a four-year, $32 million ($A48m) deal with the rebuilding Rockets to provide much-needed big man depth behind starter Alperen Şengün.
Only the first year of the deal is guaranteed though, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, not that that is a problem for the Australian anyway.
“It was surreal,” Landale said in an interview with ESPN’s Olgun Uluc.
“It was literally yesterday morning, I don’t know it’s fully set in yet and I don’t know when it will set in. It’s been a whirlwind.
“My phone went bananas kind of and then I just kind of shut down, because it was hard for me to really comprehend the outreach of support and what had just happened. But I’m still playing catch-up in that regard.
“It’s obviously something I’ve been dreaming of doing for a long time: being able to earn my way up to something like that. Now that it’s here, it feels like another day. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing.”
Landale said Phoenix put qualifying offer forward and that there were also some other smaller deals but nothing to the “magnitude” of the contract Houston offered.
For the 27-year-old, the Rockets are the ideal landing spot given he should get consistent minutes playing behind Şengün — something that wasn’t always on offer at Phoenix.
“I felt as though I’d worked my way to when I played and when I played heavy minutes, I always produced,” Landale said.
“And I was like, ‘If I can get the trust of a coach who has the front office behind me, and they’re all kind of supporting the decision, absolutely I believe I can play to that contract’. I think at times, as I said, when I played bigger minutes I have played to that kind of a contract.
“To me, I’m not even thinking about the non-guarantees because at the end of the day, the way people operate in day-to-day life is, ‘You sign a year contract, you see how you operate within that year and then you either get a bigger one, a smaller one or sign the same thing’. To me it feels like I’m kind of maintaining that.
“I also feel that, given it’s non-guaranteed, there’s no ability for me to take my foot off the gas, and I feel that’s really important and kind of plays into my character a bit. I’ve still got to earn everything.
“… When I spoke to Ime [Udoka] he said, ‘You’ve got to come in and earn it, just like everyone else’. I think that’s a healthy style of competition. [I’m] definitely looking forward to that opportunity, but the door’s open, I’ve just got to kind of walk through it.”
Having to earn everything is nothing new for Landale.
It has been a long journey to this point already, with stopovers in Europe, the NBL and San Antonio before the Australian ended up at the Suns last season.
The move to Phoenix was exactly what Landale needed as he flashed his potential in every chance he got splitting time in the backup centre role alongside Bismack Biyombo.
By the postseason Landale had emerged as a key piece of the Suns’ rotation, averaging 6.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 blocks and 0.4 steals in 16.1 minutes.
The Australian’s most impressive performance came in Phoenix’s 127-122 win over eventual NBA champions — the Denver Nuggets — in Game 4 of the Western Conference semi-finals series.
Landale had eight points, five rebounds, one block and a steal in that game while finishing with a game-high plus-minus of +16.
“I give him credit. I think he’s just come into this series and impacted in a positive way. Activity, offensive rebounding, physicality, aggression,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of Landale ahead of Game 4.
“… Role player is a dirty word and I don’t know why. He’s embracing his role and doing really well.”
Now Landale will once again have to embrace a similar role at the rebuilding Rockets, one that he is more than willing to take on even if it doesn’t mean making the highlight reels.
“That’ll be the message that I will try to impart on everyone,” Landale told ESPN.
“Every team needs a guy willing to sacrifice their own numbers and bodies and all of that, to go out there and help the superstars get loose and make their lives easier.
“That’s where I’m really handy, and figured that out with KD [Kevin Durant] and Book [Devin Booker], is they needed someone who was willing to do the dirty work for them. That’s the role I see myself sticking in for a long time and I’m completely happy with that. I love it.”
And if Houston fans aren’t already sold on Landale, the fact he consistently used the word ‘we’ when talking about the Rockets speaks volumes to how quickly he has bought into his new team’s vision.
The news of Landale’s new contract certainly came as a shock to his father Clive, with the Australian sharing a hilarious clip of his reaction on social media platform TikTok.
JOE INGLES (Orlando Magic)
From an NBA title contender to an exciting, young team on the rise.
The Magic are entering a new phase of their rebuild and have enough talent to start making some serious noise, headlined by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner along with recent draft additions Anthony Black and Jett Howard.
Every young team needs a veteran presence though and that is exactly what Ingles brings as he prepares to enter his 10th year in the NBA.
Of course, Ingles still offers plenty more than that as a career 40.8 per cent 3-point shooter, which will provide much-needed spacing for the young Magic led by Banchero.
The versatile veteran impressed in his first season back from a torn ACL at Milwaukee, averaging 6.9 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 40.9 per cent from downtown.
“Joe is a smart, tough player who truly impacts winning in every way,” Magic president Jeff Weltman said.
“His shooting, playmaking and experience will be a welcome addition to our team.”
ESPN reported the new two-year contract is worth $22 million ($A33m), with Ingles expected to be a leading facilitator for the team’s bench unit.
PATTY MILLS (Atlanta Hawks)
The veteran guard is on the move… again. In case you missed it, Patty Mills has now been traded to three teams in the space of just 10 days.
Mills, who has a $6.8 million ($A10m) expiring contract, was first traded from Brooklyn to Houston before the Rockets offloaded him to Okahoma City.
The prospect of Mills playing alongside Josh Giddey and Jack White gave Australian basketball fans yet another reason to get behind the fast-rising Thunder ahead of next season.
Unfortunately though Mills was then traded to the Hawks as part of a deal that sees TyTy Washington, Usman Garuba, Rudy Gay and a second-round pick sent to the Thunder.
It was reported by ESPN that Atlanta saved $4.5 million ($A6.8m) in the deal, although there is every chance Mills could be on the move again by the end of the week.
The Boomers hero struggled for game time at Brooklyn last season, managing just 40 appearances while vaveraging 14.2 minutes.
Mills did shoot 36.6 per cent from deep though and would offer a valuable veteran presence in any NBA locker room, including Atlanta’s should the Hawks choose to keep him.
JOSH GIDDEY (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Not much to report here with Giddey, outside of the fact expectations of the young guard will only be even higher after an impressive sophomore campaign.
The 20-year-old once again proved himself one of the league’s most gifted passers with highlight-reel plays for a Thunder team that was a surprise playoff contender by season’s end.
Shooting remains a swing skill for Giddey, who certainly made a leap after his first offseason working with Chip Engelland, making 32.5 per cent of his shots from deep.
Those final numbers are slightly misleading anyway as Giddey only grew more confident in his shot as the season went on, initially shooting just 23.8 per cent in November.
Giddey responded to that early adversity by making 43.2 per cent of his attempts in December and will only continue to develop his 3-point shooting with more time under Engelland.
The challenge for Giddey will be to once again rise to the challenge that comes with having a greater profile in the NBA, which of course invites more attention from opposition defences.
If Giddey’s second season in the league is anything to go by though, he will be fine after impressing teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the adjustments he made in year two.
“A lot of guys get better, come back and then you’re the new guy, then teams figure you out and you’re a little bit stagnant but for him to get better throughout the season and continue to improve his game is very impressive,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“Right now he is a world better than he was in the summertime and the year before and I hope and am pretty sure he will continue that growth because the kid works hard.”
Giddey erupted for a 31-point showing against the Pelicans in his post-season debut and told reporters in his end-of-season exit interview that shooting remains a focus in the summer.
“Shooting the ball is a big one that I’m continuing to work on,” he said.
“Obviously we made a jump from last season but it is still nowhere near where it needs to be. Getting stronger, I think defensively continuing to take another step in the right direction, ball-handling. There are a lot of things, especially as a 20-year-old, that you have to work on. There is so much room for growth in your game.”
Giddey is also evidently excited to get on the court with Chet Holmgren, the second overall pick in the 2022 draft who was sidelined all of last season with a foot injury.
He will also join forces with fellow Australian Jack White, who signed a two-year deal with the Thunder after tasting championship success with the Nuggets.
JACK WHITE (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Speaking of White, he has seemingly secured some much-deserved job security after playing on a two-way contract for Denver last season.
The Thunder agreed to sign the Australian forward to a standard two-year contract, although further details on the contract are yet to be made public.
White impressed on both ends for the Nuggets at last year’s Summer League on the way to earning a contract but won’t be suiting up for the Thunder in Vegas this time around.
White played just 17 games for the Nuggets last season as more of a depth piece than anything, although the Australian impressed coach Michael Malone with his hustle.
“Toughness, physicality and IQ, it’s in his DNA,” Malone said.
“Jack White no matter where he’s playing is going to play hard, physical and tough and he also has the ability to step outside and shoot the basketball.”
White was awarded Defensive Player of the Game honours after a standout performance in a 109-95 win over the Kings to close the regular season, grabbing eight rebounds in the victory.
The 25-year-old forward earned more playing time with the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate, averaging 20.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 33.6 minutes.
MATISSE THYBULLE (Portland Trail Blazers)
Portland clearly sees Matisse Thybulle as a key piece of its likely rebuild without Damian Lillard, even if the Australian reportedly preferred a move to Dallas.
Thybulle signed a three-year, $33 million ($A50m) offer sheet with the Mavericks but the Blazers were quick to match the offer. How quick exactly?
Well, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Blazers officials made a call to match the sheet and retain him “within an hour” according to sources.
It is all the evidence you need of just how confident the Blazers are in Thybulle, who they acquired as part of a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers before last year’s deadline.
The 26-year-old is one of the league’s top perimeter defenders but the Sixers already knew that when they dealt him.
Thybulle’s struggles on the offensive end made it hard for then-coach Doc Rivers to justify giving the Australian big minutes.
The move to Portland seems to be exactly what Thybulle needed though, shooting a career-best 38.8 per cent from deep and averaging 7.4 points in 22 games for the Trail Blazers — both career-high numbers.
Further improvements on that end of the floor will only add to Thybulle’s value to a Portland team that is expected to be very raw at the start of next season should Lillard be traded.
However, Thybulle’s preference was to end up at the Mavericks according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Chris Haynes.
“The vibe I’ve gotten is that Thybulle really did want to end up with Dallas,” Stein said on the latest edition of the pair’s #thisleague UNCUT podcast.
“This is something Thybulle’s been wanting even before this summer. Dallas has been talked about as a potential destination. The Mavericks have explored in the past pathways to trade for Thybulle.”
“Matisse desperately wanted to be a member of the Dallas Mavericks,” added Haynes.
The Mavericks put forward an attractive deal according to ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks, including a 15 per cent trade bonus and third-year player option.
DYSON DANIELS (New Orleans Pelicans)
For the young guard out of Bendigo, his second season in the NBA will be all about confidence.
Daniels has all the defensive tools to get minutes for the Pelicans — it’s a big reason why the Australian played 59 games and averaged 17.7 minutes in his rookie season.
Of course, injuries also played a role too but New Orleans coach Willie Green had little choice but to give the versatile and athletic Daniels a role off the bench.
That role slowly diminished in the latter stages of the regular season though and ended with Daniels not seeing any minutes as the Pelicans bowed out in the play-in tournament.
Going back to confidence, the key for Daniels in his sophomore season will be trusting his game on the offensive side of the ball even if the shots aren’t falling.
It is a similar process to what Giddey went through, although his former NBA Global Academy teammate had the benefit of playing bigger minutes and with his hands on the ball more often.
Daniels isn’t shying away from those holes in his game though. It’s why he is embracing the opportunity to further develop his game at the Summer League.
The 20-year-old led the Pelicans with 18 points in a 102-88 loss to open their Summer League campaign but also committed four turnovers, something Daniels knows he has to clean up.
The Australian did just that in a 94-86 win over Golden State on Monday, stuffing the stat sheet with 17 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, two blocks and — crucially — just two turnovers.
“Two days ago I thought I turned it over too much,” Daniels told ESPN post-game.
“I was playing too fast, so I just wanted to get comfortable, get my teammates involved and we had guys step up tonight.
“I wasn’t happy with how I finished the season last year so this summer has been all about work for me. Getting in the gym, tour days and getting the work in, coming out here and putting on a performance.
“For me it’s just about getting in here, getting in reps, getting better and working on what I’ve been working on all summer.”
The ESPN commentary team spoke to Green during the Warriors game, with the Pelicans coach praising the youngster’s versatile defence and high basketball IQ.
“First and foremost is his defence. He gets on the floor because he has size, strength and speed,” Green said.
“He can guard multiple positions and he’s a great rebounder. Then offensively, he’s a big guard-wing, he can play point guard, fantastic passer. You just want to see him continue to do the things he does to get on the floor for us.
“He’s cerebral. He can see the game, he can see the floor. High IQ, he knows positions one through five. It’s a luxury to have a kid like that, get him young and continue to groom and grow [him].”
ESPN’s Cassidy Hubbarth spoke to Daniels in the lead-up to Monday’s game and said the 20-year-old was hoping to polish his playmaking skills.
“I was able to ask Dyson just how he’s planning on elevating his game this season,” Hubbarth said.
“He said, ‘Obviously defence comes first. I had an impact in that last year but I want to involve my offensive game and play with the ball in my hands. To be able to play with guys like BI [Brandon Ingram], CJ [McCollum], Zion — those guys who are really good scorers. Get them the ball and in the position to succeed. For me it’s just about being calm and working on my handle to get into sets’.
“That’s what he’s focusing on here in Summer League and hopes to carry over to the season.”
XAVIER COOKS (Washington Wizards)
Cooks also suited up at Summer League, although he is in the second season of a multi-year deal with the Wizards so theoretically his spot in the team doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy.
The Australian forward did sit out Washington’s second game in Vegas though, instead sitting in street clothes on the team’s bench according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.
Cooks had impressed with 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists in his Summer League debut for the Wizards as Washington suffered a 91-83 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Other Australians fighting for roster spots at the NBA Summer League:
Luke Travers (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Travers, who was taken by Cleveland with the 56th pick in the 2022 draft, made a statement against the Nets with a productive 13 points, six rebounds and four blocks from 27 minutes. It is exactly the kind of performance Travers needed as he looks to earn a two-way spot with the Cavaliers. Otherwise, he is currently signed to a three-year deal with Melbourne United.
Duop Reath (Portland Trail Blazers)
Reath has already had plenty of minutes to make an impression in what is his fourth appearance at the Summer League.
The 27-year-old has combined for 23 points and 17 rebounds in 40 minutes, doing his hopes of earning a spot on the Blazers roster little harm.
Keanu Pinder (Phoenix Suns)
Just the one game played so far for Phoenix and no minutes on the court yet for Pinder, who is looking to build on momentum from an impressive season with the Taipans in the NBL.
Dejan Vasiljevic (Washington Wizards)
Vasiljevic hasn’t seen any action so far for the Wizards as the two-time NBL champion looks to earn one of the team’s two-way spots.
Makur Maker (Philadelphia 76ers)
Maker has only played two games and five minutes for the 76ers, given limited opportunities to impress after earn a training camp invite with the Wizards following last year’s Summer League.
Jaylin Galloway (Minnesota Timberwolves)
No time on the court yet for Galloway, who recently signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings.
