Previewing every Aussie in the NBA Eastern Conference
With the new NBA season finally here, we're previewing every Aussie in the league, starting with the Eastern Conference.
Come back tomorrow for our preview of every Aussie in the Western Conference!
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
Expectations will be high for Dyson Daniels after a historic last season with Atlanta. In his first season as a Hawk, he led the league in steals, racking up more in a season than any player since 1995-96, and becoming the first to average three-plus per game since 1990-91. He was rewarded with a spot in the All-Defensive First Team, a runner-up finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and the crown of the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
It’ll be tough, but not impossible, for Daniels to hit those lofty heights again. The bigger focus will be on a Hawks roster that has been widely predicted to make a leap this season, from play-in battler to genuine playoff contender. They’ve loaded up on depth, adding Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker via trade, and while it’s not an all-in push, it signals their intent to compete, raising the stakes across the board. That will be nothing new for Daniels, whose two seasons with the Pelicans both produced a winning record, albeit without a playoff win.
He’ll play a much bigger role in any Hawks success, and will be crucial once again lining up alongside All-Star point guard Trae Young. Daniels developed into a good offensive foil for Young last season, improving as a secondary playmaker and shooting the ball better, but clearly, it’s his defence that’s most valued. Young is a sieve at that end of the floor, leaving Daniels to guard the best perimeter player while covering any cracks.
The question some asked, rightly or wrongly, was how impactful his defence really was. The counting numbers were big, but the Hawks were a middling defensive team, and one that was just as effective when he was off the court. With more reliable defenders around him – Porzingis, Alexander-Walker, and hopefully a full season of health for Jalen Johnson – he should have even more freedom to be aggressive in pressuring ball handlers and forcing turnovers, all on a team that will be more robust defensively as a whole.
Maybe those gaudy steal numbers will dip a little, but if the Hawks do climb the standings, he should again be a contender in the Defensive Player of the Year race. If he takes another step forward offensively, could he push for a debut All-Star selection? Still just 22 years of age, the sky really is the limit.
Johnny Furphy, Indiana Pacers
Maybe it’s just the Aussie hoops bubble that we all live in, but it really does feel like this has been the Summer of Furphy. It started with one of the all-time great Summer League dunks, and since then, the 20-year-old has continued to generate highlights at an unprecedented rate.
The hops are impressive, but Furphy will look to show off the rest of his game this season. He played sparingly last season, spending time in the G League and only getting junk time minutes during Indiana’s epic finals run, but it was all valuable experience for one of the youngest players in the league. “I was just trying to be a sponge and soak up everything,” Furphy told ESPN.
Things could look a lot different now, with star guard Tyrese Haliburton’s brutal game seven injury leaving the Pacers in a state of flux. He’ll likely miss the entire season, and with starting centre Miles Turner traded to Milwaukee, the heart of that finals team has been ripped out; it looms as a “gap year” of sorts, but one in which they could still compete for a postseason berth.
That should open the door for Furphy, who will have the chance to earn meaningful minutes in his second season. He’s put in the work over the offseason, reportedly putting on 20 pounds of muscle, and he looked more confident on the court across the preseason. Beyond putting poor Noa Essengue on a poster, he did a little of everything at Summer League, showing flashes of the ability to play on or off the ball while defending hard.
Haliburton’s absence, and the news that backup point guard T.J. McConnell will miss at least a month with a hamstring injury, will leave minutes up for grabs on the perimeter. Furphy will be in the frame, but there’s still a bunch of guards and wings right there with him – Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith will start after starring during the playoffs, as will Most Improved Player fancy Benedict Mathurin, with Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, RayJ Dennis and Taelon Peter all in the mix off the bench.
Still, if the Pacers do view this season as a pit stop until Haliburton returns, then they would be smart to give Furphy some burn and accelerate his development. There are some clear areas he’ll need to improve in, most glaringly his shooting after making 31% of his threes across the NBA and G League, but there’s been enough positive signs at just 20 years old to be very optimistic.
Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
It’s been an interesting offseason for Giddey, who found himself in a contract standoff with the Chicago Bulls that dragged right through to early September. He ultimately signed a four-year, US$100 million contract, reward for a stellar end to last season that saw him average 21.2 points, 10.7 assists and 9.3 assists per game after the All-Star break, leading the Bulls to a play-in berth in the process.
Now, the focus can return to his play on the court, and to what is now the $100 million question – is that kind of production sustainable? There’s a natural distrust of late-season numbers, when lottery-bound teams are tanking their way to the bottom and those locked into the playoffs can rest their stars. There also seems to be an overall distrust of Giddey, with many questioning whether he can be the focal point of a high-level NBA team.
There’s little doubt that he’ll post gaudy numbers again this season, with Chicago’s investment in him guaranteeing they’ll again give him the keys to the offence. He’s well established as one of the best passers in the league, and he’s developed a good synergy with veteran centre Nikola Vučević and his dynamic backcourt partner Coby White. The problem is, Giddey most likely won’t even have the chance to answer the larger questions around whether he can lead a winning team.
After winning between 29 and 39 games in each of the last four seasons, the Bulls didn’t take a big swing one way or another in the offseason, and that will probably leave them in no man’s land once again this season. Maybe their roster continuity and a full season with Giddey at the helm will see them rise, but on paper at least, they just don’t have the talent to compete, even in the weaker Eastern Conference.
Still, the opportunity is there for Giddey to continue developing the skills that people have questioned. He shot 38% from three last season, and 45.7% over those last 19 games, but taking and making more off the dribble would ease concerns around his ability as a lead playmaker. Critics point to his defensive shortcomings, and while he won’t get any quicker or more athletic, he can find more ways to leverage his size and hone his instincts. While he’s heading into his fourth NBA season, it’s important to remember that Giddey is just 23 years old; the Bulls are stuck in basketball purgatory, but he still has plenty of room to grow and time on his side.
Josh Green, Charlotte Hornets
Last season was meant to be the Josh Green breakout, but things didn’t quite pan out in his move to the Charlotte Hornets. It was far from a disaster – he made more than 39% of his threes, set a new career high in steals, and started in 67 of his 68 games - but there was hope for so much more.
Over four seasons with Dallas, Green was shoehorned into a very limited role, one he excelled in as the Mavs made a run to the 2024 NBA Finals. There were glimpses of a broader skill set, though – some off-the-dribble pop, some playmaking chops, and the potential to be more than just a standstill shooter. Sadly, his move to the cellar-dwelling Hornets didn’t automatically bring with it more opportunity. Instead of spotting up alongside Luka Dončić, he found himself spotting up alongside LaMelo Ball, who finished fourth in the league in usage rate; meanwhile, Green’s usage was the lowest since his rookie year, with his scoring and assists also dipping.
After winning just 19 games, their third straight season with fewer than 30 wins, the Hornets need to find some upside this year. Green will only turn 25 next month, but he might now be viewed as a known and somewhat limited commodity. He’ll almost certainly lose his spot in the starting five to fourth overall pick Kon Knueppel, and they’ll hope to get more out of Miller after playing just 27 games last year, while Collin Sexton arrives as another veteran who offers some more creativity.
To make matters worse, Green will start the season on the sidelines after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason. Earlier this month, Hornets president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson confirmed that Green was still recovering, and while his rehab was going “extremely well”, there was no clear timeline for his return. With no updates since, it would seem that he’s still some way away from getting back on the court.
With that uncertainty and a franchise with no real direction, it’s tough to know what Green’s immediate future might look like. His skill set holds value, but it doesn’t move the needle for a team that seems certain to remain near the bottom of the standings. If the Hornets miraculously find themselves in the playoff picture, then maybe they’ll lean on Green once he’s back healthy; if not, it’s hard to know what direction they might go in. Either way, it’s tough to see him having much opportunity to grow his game, as was first hoped for when he landed in Charlotte.
Lachlan Olbrich, Chicago Bulls
He was a bolter ahead of this year’s draft, and Lachlan Olbrich will look to keep rising now that he’s made it to the NBA. After playing a huge role in Illawarra’s drought-breaking NBL championship, he now joins a Bulls franchise and fan base that is desperate to end their own 27-year dry spell.
Olbrich has found success at every level so far in his career – an NBL title, MVP honours and a championship in New Zealand, and star showings at the G League Elite Camp and NBA draft combine – so it would be foolish to doubt him now. Still, any NBA breakthrough will come on a longer timeline, as he’s signed a two-way contract and will spend the bulk of the season in the G League.
It’s the best outcome for him, and he’ll be given some freedom to figure out how his skills fit in a new environment. His style of play is unorthodox for the NBA – he’s not a super athlete or a knockdown shooter, instead using funky footwork around the basket to create for himself or thriving as a screener and cutter. There’s already been glimpses of how it might be effective at the level – he twice scored in double figures in Summer League, then poured in 12 points in 10 minutes across preseason games against Cleveland and Denver.
At the same time, his limitations have also been clear. In his two other Summer League games, he shot a combined 1-8 from the field, committed 10 fouls, and tallied seven turnovers. Undersized for an NBA big and without the elite athleticism to make up for it, he struggled defensively and became a bystander offensively at times. The positives have outweighed the negatives in his first NBA preseason; those tougher moments only serve as a reminder that he’s a long-term prospect, as every speculative second-round pick is.
At this very early stage of his career, Olbrich is a confidence player, aggressive when he’s rolling and feeling good, but a little more hesitant when not. He’ll be able to build that confidence up in the G League, where he should be an impact player from the outset. The Windy City Bulls finished last season with an 11-23 record, so they’ll be looking for a spark; they’re also coached by William Donovan III, son of Chicago head coach Billy Donovan, so Olbrich will be learning from the same playbook wherever he is. It’s the perfect opportunity for him to find his feet in the US, while still working towards the ultimate goal of a role in the NBA.
Tyrese Proctor, Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s rare to see a rookie enjoy more freedom in the NBA than in college, but that might just be the case for Tyrese Proctor. After a dominant junior career as a shot creator and scorer, he was forced to adapt over three seasons with Duke, used first as a pure point guard and then in an unfamiliar off-ball role. After developing into a great shooter and secondary playmaker, he was snapped up by Cleveland late in the NBA Draft.
It quickly became clear that the Cavaliers had plenty of confidence in him – where some second-round picks have to scrap for two-way contracts, they handed Proctor a four-year contract, the first two years guaranteed, and a full roster spot. That confidence carried over into Summer League, where he took more than 15 shots per game, and to Cleveland’s preseason games where he was just as aggressive. It was a throwback to the Proctor of old as the Cavaliers put the ball in his hands and let him go to work.
Of course, the preseason is far from the real thing, and Proctor still faces an uphill battle to earn minutes as a rookie. Cleveland will be a title contender once again, and even after losing Sixth Man of the Year finalist Ty Jerome, they have a wealth of guards on their roster. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are both All-Stars, Sam Merrill has become a steady presence, and the team added more experience when they traded for Lonzo Ball. Throw in Craig Porter Jr. and Jaylon Tyson, and there’s a lot of names for Proctor to climb past on the depth chart. There could be some opportunity early in the season with Garland set to miss significant time, but Proctor could still be buried down the list of stand-ins.
Even if he doesn’t crack that rotation, it would be hard to imagine a better developmental situation. Mitchell is the perfect veteran to learn from, someone that has enjoyed individual and team success his whole career, while reigning Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson has consistently gotten the best out of his players. As training camp ramped up last month, Atkinson made clear how impressive Proctor had been, while suggesting that this season could still be a year for development.
“And a lot of times with rookies, you know, you’re like, ‘Do they really belong?’ Right now, it feels like he belongs,” Atkinson said. “The question with Tyrese right now is, is he gonna be able to handle the physicality… this year’s probably gonna be a year where he’s really gonna build his body.”
After three years with Duke, it’s easy to forget that Proctor is still only 21 years old. Cleveland are a young contender, and like any young and deep team, they’ll face a salary cap crunch just about every offseason. If he can stay patient and work on his body and game, then opportunities will come his way eventually, even if it’s not this season.
Luke Travers, Cleveland Cavaliers
One year into his NBA career, it’s safe to say that Luke Travers is good enough for the G League. After signing a two-way contract with the Cavaliers last season, he played 16 games for the G League’s Cleveland Charge and dominated, posting four triple-doubles and averaging 15.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
It’s no surprise, then, that the Cavaliers chose to bring him back this season; it also makes sense that they did so on another two-way contract, given the depth of talent they have. That doesn’t mean Travers is content with another season spent in the G League, though. “I’ve got internal goals I’ll keep to myself, but on the court it’s about showing I fit at this level,” he said at Cleveland’s media day. “It starts with preseason – it’s going to be huge for me to prove I belong and can thrive at this level.”
While he was able to show glimpses of his do-it-all skill set in those preseason hit outs – against Boston, he tallied six points, five rebounds and four assists – it probably wasn’t enough to force the hand of Kenny Atkinson and his staff. Like Proctor, Travers would need to beat out a lot of veterans if he were to earn NBA minutes, even with his positional versatility. Among their bench guards, he’ll be battling with Lonzo Ball, Sam Merrill and Jaylin Tyson; at forward, Dean Wade and Larry Nance Jr. are experienced players with an established skill set.
There’s also some question marks about how effective Travers will be in the NBA, at least right now. He’s a jack of all trades, but NBA role players tend to need at least one bankable skill; what is that for Travers? He’s a disruptive team defender, but can he guard one on one when the skill and athleticism go up a notch? He’s a great connector and cutter offensively, but can he improve his shooting enough to play off the ball and avoid shrinking the floor?
For what it’s worth, he has the right people in his corner, with both Atkinson and Mitchell vocal fans of his game in the past. “Six-foot-eight, he can really pass, I love that we’ve gotten him to shoot the ball without hesitation… I’m like man, what could this guy be?” Atkinson said after Travers’ NBA debut last year.
“He has a great feel for the game. You see with the passes he’s making, as a rookie, he sees things you don’t always necessarily see… he’s going to be a good player,” Mitchell said.
Two-way contracts can have very high turnover, with players that don’t quickly find their feet spit out in favour of the new class of rookies. That the Cavaliers have kept Travers for a second year shows that they see him as a potential NBA player. It may not result in consistent minutes this season, but hopefully there’ll at least be a few more chances to show what he can do.