Aussies axed on eve of NBA season, rising star signs $64m deal

A group of Aussies have been brutally cut from their NBA teams on the eve of the new season, but one local hope has landed a mega payday.

A swag of Australians are set to take the NBA by storm, but a handful of their compatriots have been brutally cut on the eve of the new season.

The 2023-24 season tips off on Wednesday (AEDT) and there are plenty of Aussies to look out for.

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Josh Giddey is entering his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team tipped to be one of the big risers in a stacked Western Conference.

Jock Landale has taken a pay rise to play at the Houston Rockets, Patty Mills will provide a veteran presence at the Atlanta Hawks, as will Joe Ingles at the Orlando Magic.

The Dallas Mavericks have re-signed Josh Green on a three-year $41 million (A$64 million) deal that rewards the 22-year-old with a juicy payday that won’t hurt Dallas’ salary cap too much.

Joining Green at the Mavericks is Dante Exum, who has returned to the NBA following a successful stint in Europe after injuries cruelled the early stages of the former No. 5 pick’s career.

Josh Green is set for a breakout season. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)

Josh Green got paid. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Australian-born guard Ben Simmons has turned heads with some eyecatching performances in preseason, and there are hopes he can return to his All-Star form for the Brooklyn Nets.

Aussies cut in brutal pre-season cull

The news isn’t so good for a group of Aussies who were hoping to snag a spot on an NBA roster and carve out a role as fringe players.

Jack White won the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets last season but he has been waived by OKC as part of the Thunder’s expected roster crunch. It means he won’t get the chance to play alongside Giddey.

Former NBL MVP Xavier Cooks played a few games for the Washington Wizards towards the end of last season, but he has also been waived.

His former Sydney Kings teammate Dejan Vasiljevic has returned to the NBL with the Adelaide 36ers after also being let go by the Wizards.

Cooks’ NBL days are behind him and he will likely look to ply his trade in Europe if he doesn’t get picked up by another NBA team.

Xavier Cooks has been waived by the Washington Wizards. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Duop Reath signed a two-way deal with Portland. (Photo by Amanda Loman/Getty Images)

Makur Maker has been waived by the Toronto Raptors, but big man Duop Reath’s NBA dream is still alive after he signed a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers that will see him play in the G-League.

Greek Freek signs monster deal

Meanwhile, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a mammoth maximum three-year contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks worth $186 million (A$293 million).

It’s a huge boost to the Bucks after Antetokounmpo put pressure on the franchise to keep him in the championship window, prompting the recruitment of Damian Lillard from Portland.

The NBA season begins on Wednesday with the Nuggets taking on the LA Lakers and a clash between the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors.