The 2015-2016 NBA Season is about two months old with all teams already playing 15 to 17 games each so far this year. Eight Australians were under contract for their respective teams entering the season and all are still part of the team’s rosters through Nov. 29, 2015. However, only about half has earned significant playing time and roles for their respective NBA squads so far.

So which Aussies have emerged as a reliable player in the best basketball league in the world? Which players have emerged as legit contributors for their respective teams—either as title or playoff contenders?

For the purpose of this list, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving, who was born in Melbourne will not be included in the power rankings as he already represented the United States in international competitions.

All stats are correct through the Nov. 29 games in the NBA.

Dante Exum (Utah Jazz, guard)
Season Rating: No grade and unranked due to knee injury

Exum, who was about to enter his second year in the league, suffered a knee injury while playing for the Australian Boomers over the summer and will be out for the entire season for the Jazz. Among all the Australians currently in the NBA, he is the youngest and thus, the player with the highest ceiling.

The 20-year-old combo guard has to wait for next year to prove if he is as good as he’s hyped being the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

6th- Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls, forward/centre)
Season Rating: C+

The 24-year-old Bulls sophomore big man has failed to crack the rotation at Chicago although it’s not entirely his fault considering the Bulls are one of the top teams with a deep and set rotation at the forward and centre positions featuring established NBA players like Pau Gasol, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah and the improving Nikola Mirotic.

Recently, the Bulls assigned the 6-foot-9 Bairstow to the NBA Developmental League. Before being assigned to the D-League, Bairstow played two games for the Bulls.

5th – Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz, forward)
Season Rating: B-

In his second year in the league, the Aussie veteran has established himself as a nice option on the wings for the Jazz. After starting 32 of 79 games played last season, the 28-year-old forward has played 15 games this year, all coming off the bench. In 12.5 minutes per game, Ingles has averaged 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds.

Ingles’ best scoring games came against the Indiana Pacers (10 points), Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies (8 points each) and the New Orleans Pelicans (9 points).

4th- Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs, point guard)
Season Rating: B-

Mills has taken over the primary back-up point guard role in San Antonio with the departure of Cory Joseph to the Toronto Raptors in the offseason. Averaging 21.4 minutes per game (career-high), the Spurs want to see more consistency from Mills, who averages 8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 17 games this season.

Mills is shooting 41.2 per cent from the three-point area this year and his shooting will play a vital role for the Spurs both for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.

3rd - Aron Baynes (Detroit Pistons, centre)
Season Rating: B

Aron Baynes left the San Antonio Spurs to join the Detroit Pistons in the 2015 offseason. The move appears to have paid off as the 6-foot-10 big man has locked up his spot as one of the primary bigs off the bench and is Andre Drummond’s number one back-up at the centre position in Detroit.

For the season, Baynes averages 12.4 minutes, 4.3 points and 4.0 rebounds in 16 games played so far.

2nd- Andrew Bogut (Golden State Warriors, centre)
Season Rating: B+

Despite his struggle with injuries, Bogut is one of the key components for the perfect Golden State Warriors this season. The most experienced Australian in the NBA is valued by the Warriors, who recently established the best start to a regular season in NBA history, for his inside presence and defence inside the paint.

Bogut has missed 6 of 18 games for the Warriors this season and has started 8 of 12 games. The 31-year-old averages 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots in 19.4 minutes per game.

1st- Matthew Dellavedova (Cleveland Cavaliers, point guard)
Season Rating: A-

Dellavedova introduced his brand of play to the world (and to Stephen Curry) in the 2015 NBA Finals last season. The 25-year-old Aussie has picked up where he left off from last year and has played well this season. Dellavedova averages 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists so far in the 2015-2016 season but more importantly has earned the trust of Cavaliers head coach David Blatt, who has given Dellavedova 27.3 minutes per game this year.

Dellavedova has started six of 16 games played this year and has scored in double-digits five times and he has also registered 7.0 assists or more in seven games. Dellavedova’s best statistical game of the season came in a 117-103 win over the Orlando Magic when he scored 15 points on 5-of-8 field goals with 4 three-pointers and added 9 assists without a turnover.

Like Bogut, Dellavedova’s value to his team is on the defensive end, especially as he is assigned the shackle and defend the point guards in the league, arguably the toughest position to guard in the NBA today.

Do you agree with the list?

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