Experienced NBA veteran and Australian Boomer Patty Mills has signed a two-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets worth $12 million, according to reports from ESPN.
The deal ends Mills'10-year stint with the San Antonio Spurs, after spending his first two years in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 32-year old had been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, before the Brooklyn Nets beat them out to sign him.
Mills was a big part of the Spurs franchise, bringing lots of energy off the bench, and was a key contributor to the Spurs' 2014 NBA Championship.
The Australian sharpshooter will now join the Nets alongside the likes of Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Kevin Durant, in what will be an explosive backcourt with Mills to play a similar energetic role off the bench to the one he had at the Spurs.
The Nets are currently the favourites to win the 2021-22 NBA Championship, after finishing second in the Eastern Conference last season with a 48-24 record, despite star players in Irving, Harden and Durant missing a large chunk of the season due to injury.
Mills averaged 10.8 points per game in the 2020-21 season with the Spurs, hitting a career-high 161 three-pointers throughout the season.
In other exciting news for Australian basketball fans, Melbourne United centre and 2021 NBL Grand Final MVP, Jock Landale, has reportedly signed a two year deal with the San Antonio Spurs.
The deal is Landale's first NBA contract as another Aussie enters the NBA, taking the tally to 11 current Australians in the league.
The 25-year old enjoyed a breakout season with Melbourne United, averaging 16.4 points per game along with 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists whilst shooting 38.9% from three-point range.
The Spurs have officially lost Patty Mills, as well as star player DeMar DeRozan and experienced veteran Rudy Gay, so there should be plenty of opportunity for Landale to impress at NBA level as the Spurs enter a youthful phase in their history.
Landale previously impressed in the NBA Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks where he put up 25 points and 15 rebounds against Philadelphia.
Multiple NBA clubs were interested in him at the time, but Landale had just signed a deal with Lithuanian side Zalgiris Kaunas.
As two Australian Boomers secure their NBA future, another Boomer in Dante Exum's NBA future is unclear.
Exum, who is currently with the Boomers in the Olympics alongside Mills and Landale, is an unrestricted free agent with the Houston Rockets and is yet to secure another contract heading into next season.
The 26-year old joined the Houston Rockets in January but didn't play a game due to a troublesome calf which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Exum has battled many injuries including issues with his shoulder, ankle and knee which has plagued his NBA career since he was taken by the Utah Jazz with pick five in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Exum will look to finish the Olympics in strong form with the Boomers as he looks to secure his next contract.
