'Show Me The Money': RFA Josh chasing more dosh

• Australian guard Josh Giddey is a restricted free agent in 2025
• Boomers legends Joe Ingles and Patty Mills are both out of contract
• Four two-way players chasing new NBA deals

The future of half of the Aussies in the NBA including "Boomer Patty" Mills, Ben Simmons, Dante Exum and Joe Ingles are uncertain heading into the 2025-26 season.

Eight players — Alex Ducas, Simmons, Exum, Jack McVeigh, Joe Ingles, Luke Travers, Mills and Taran Armstrong — are all out of contract.

The 16 Australians in the NBA in 2024-25 earned a combined $149.1M USD – a cool $223.6M AUD.

Chicago Bulls and Australian Boomers Josh Giddey is a restricted free agent, which means the six-time NBA champions can choose to match any offer the 22-year-old is made by another franchise, meaning he would remain in the Windy City.

Giddey made $8.3M in 2024-25 while the last year of his contract is worth $11.1M he is projected to sign his next contract for about four times that whether it’s with the Bulls or another franchise when free agency starts on June 30, 2025.

Ducas, McVeigh, Travers ($USD 578,577) and Armstrong ($USD 157,640) were all on two-way player contracts that expire at the end of the season. Ducas’ Oklahoma City Thunder and Armstrong’s Golden State Warriors are still in the play-offs.

Aussies in the NBA Contract Status

• Alex Ducas: Two-way player out of contract
• Ben Simmons: Out of contract
• Dante Exum: Out of contract
• Duop Reath: One year remaining worth $2.2M
• Dyson Daniels: Two years remaining; 2025-26 worth $7.7M; and restricted free agent in 2026-27
• Jack McVeigh: Two-way player out of contract
• Jock Landale: 2-years remaining; 2025-26 worth $8M; $8M team option in 2026-27
• Joe Ingles: Out of contract
• Johnny Furphy: Three years remaining; 2025-26 worth $1.95M; 2026-27 worth $2.2M; and 2027-28 team option worth $2.4M
• Josh Giddey: Restricted Free Agent
• Josh Green: 2-years remaining; 2025-26 worth $13.6M; $14.6M in 2026-27
• Kyrie Irving: One year remaining with a player option $42.9M
• Luke Travers: Two-way player out of contract
• Matisse Thybulle: One year remaining with a player option $11.5M
• Patty Mills: Out of contract
• Taran Armstrong: Two-way player out of contract

Jock Landale

Landale, 29, could become the focus of a trade in what is being called the Cooper Flagg draft. Flagg, the Duke Blue Devils superstar, will be the no1 pick in the NBA Draft on June 27 (AEST) regardless of who wins the draft lottery on May 13, 2025 (AEST).

If the Houston Rockets win the pick — they have a 4% chance via Phoenix’s unprotected pick via the Brooklyn Nets — jag the first pick, there is already talkback radio speculation they could offer it to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for two-time NBA MVP and NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo. It means the Bucks will have an immediate need at centre and with Landale playing limited minutes behind Steven Adams he might be on the move as part of that deal. Adding to uncertainty, Adams is also out of contract.

Ben Simmons

Simmons, who earned $40.3M this season in the last year of his max deal signed with the Philadelphia 76ers before his trade to the Brooklyn Nets and buyout that landed him on the Los Angeles Clippers, is now an unrestricted free agent, which means he can negotiate with any NBA team to get the best deal and fit. One thing is for certain, his next contract will be nowhere near the max deal — five years, $177M — he signed with the 76ers in 2020.

Joe Ingles

Ingles is 37 years old. His Minnesota Timberwolves led by superstar Anthony Edwards, are in the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Golden State Warriors. Ingles isn’t getting any minutes but his veteran presence is worth the $3.3M he’s getting paid in the last year of his contract. His future beyond this season is uncertain with the potential for it to be his last, especially if the Wolves win their first title in June. Ingles has earned more than $87M in his more than 10-year NBA career, could the former NBL star finish his career back in Australia — where it all began?

Patty Mills

Mills is 36. The Los Angeles Clippers are his fifth team in five years after winning an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2024. Mills earned $3M in 2024-25 but with the Clippers being eliminated (again) early in the play-offs who knows what owner Steve Ballmer has in mind for 2025-26 after spending a cool two billion on the Inuit Dome, $50M to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden due a player option $36.3M. Mills has earned more than $85M in a decade-long career and every NBA team is always on the hunt for a veteran point guard who can shoot the ball and Mills fits the bill. There’s been light speculation Mills could return to Australia and finish his career in the NBL but the reality is, that’s unlikely at least next season.

Two-Way Players

Luke Travers, 23, and Alex Ducas, 24, will almost certainly stay in the system but the futures of Jack McVeigh and Taran Armstrong are less certain. McVeigh, 28, lit it up for Houston’s G-League team this season while Armstrong, 23, joined the Warriors late in the season after the Cairns Taipans failed to make the NBL25 playoffs in March. Both are candidates for a return to the NBL or chase better money in Europe. But now that Armstrong is in the system, and given his age, an opportunity to play a full G-League season if he can secure another contract, is a solid possibility.

Dante Exum

Exum is 29 and will be 30 before the start of the 2025-26 season. When he’s healthy Exum is a starter. Although he’s out of contract he will almost certainly be in the league next season and there has been no speculation he’s on the move from Dallas given the Luka Doncic trade and the Mavericks need for big guards. His next contract will more than likely be a multi-year deal above the league minimum.

Dyson Daniels

Daniels, 22, is the NBA’s Most Improved Player and has two years remaining on his four-year $25M contract he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks. He should have won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year but was snubbed in favour of Cleveland Cavaliers centre Evan Mobley. Daniels is due $7.7M in 2025-26 before becoming a restricted free agent and in the famous Rod Tidwell … “Show Me The Money”.

About the Author

Peter Brown is the head coach of the Sydney Comets Women’s Youth League team in the Waratah Basketball League in NSW. He is also the assistant coach for the Comets NBL1 women’s team in the NBL1 East Conference. Peter is a 30-year journalist, starting as a sports reporter at the NT News in the early 1990s. He played junior basketball for the Northern Territory at national championships from U16 to U20 and for the Territory’s senior men’s team at numerous international tournaments. Peter has been a basketball fan since the early 80s, especially the NBA. Basketball is his passion — and his opinions his own. Email peter.brown@basketball.com.au with feedback. Any email feedback on articles sent to Peter can be published on basketball.com.au for others to read.