There are innumerable reasons why the NBA 2K Franchise is arguably the best when it comes to sports video games. From a wide range of classic teams to a ridiculous amount of customizable options, there are so many to choose from. A big highlight is the MyLeague mode.
It allows the player to take a team and control it, but go further as MyLeague basically lets you be the league’s commissioner too. Since you can control a team for decades in the mode, choosing isn’t just about figuring out who is the best option right now. It’s about finding the squads worth controlling for years to come.
Updated on June 23, 2021 by Kevin Pantoja: Given the ever-changing nature of the NBA, it’s hard to keep up with the teams that are ideal in these situations. All-Star Players are switching franchises, and some roster have either upgraded or declined for various reasons. That is what makes choosing the best teams for rebuilding NBA 2K21 hard to pin down or stay consistent, but there are ways to find out.
10 Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic has spent the past few years in a strange place. Typically, a franchise wants to be either a contender for the NBA championship or a team that gathers young talent and draft picks. However, as the constant bottom of the playoffs, they were caught somewhere in the middle.
Last season, Orlando All-Star Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon were eliminated, meaning there is room to rebuild the team based on your image. Plus there are plenty of potential stars like Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, and Wendell Carter Jr.
9 Chicago Bulls
Nikola Vucevic moved from the aforementioned Orlando Magic to the Chicago Bulls. That combined him with All-Star Zach LaVine, who averaged 27.4ppg last season. That makes them a great one-two punch to build an offense, especially given their versatility.
The team also includes Lauri Markkanen, who in healthy condition is one of the best young shooters in the league, and point guard Coby White. That gives them a great youthful core and there are some vets who could be moved, like Thaddeus Young, to get more parts to get the Bulls back to their ’90s glory.
8 Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are a different kind of team to build on NBA 2K21. Just a few years ago, they won three out of four NBA finals and were almost unstoppable. Only Kevin Durant has disappeared from the core, but the team got into tough times due to a cavalcade of injuries and losses.
The main focus when you choose them is to fix the supporting cast. The Warriors already have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, as well as budding star James Wiseman and athletic Andrew Wiggins. When you get a good quality bank and some other young players you will be a force.
7 Minnesota Timberwolves
On paper, the Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the most cluttered teams in the league. You have Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the best tall men in the world, plus all-star D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards, who is number 1 overall. In addition, Malik Beasley is a 20.0 ppg scorer.
Despite all this talent at its core, the Timberwolves always find themselves at the bottom of the table. That is where the challenge lies. You may be able to bring disappointing young people like Jarrett Culver to someone who can contribute and really put that team back on the map.
6 Houston Rockets
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Just a few years ago, the Houston Rockets felt like a legitimate threat to the Golden State Warriors dynasty and almost defeated them even when they had Kevin Durant. The highlights of this roster are gone like James Harden and Chris Paul. Even Russell Westbrook left after a year.
John Wall stays, but he’s not sane for a while until this year. Though he makes a lot of money, a player should try to move him for some young pieces. That will allow you to do a long build around guys like Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. It will take a while, but it will be worth it.
5 Detroit Kolben
No offense, but there’s no more boring team in the league right now than the Detroit Pistons. You got rid of Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin for almost nothing, even though they were originally supposed to be the combination of great men who flipped the franchise.
That left the door open for aspiring players to step up. Jerami Grant was the most impressive (22.3ppg) while Josh Jackson and Saddiq Bey also did well. As with the Rockets, the Pistons selection will result in some rough early seasons, but patience pays off.
4 Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets were a solid surprise last season. They were mostly around .500 and narrowly missed the playoffs thanks to a play-in tournament loss. They went from a team people polled to one that was arguably the most exciting in the league.
The highlight is certainly Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball and young talents like Miles Bridges and Devonte ‘Graham as well as veterans like Gordon Hayward. Some people make too much money (Terry Rozier and Bismack Biyombo) but worth moving.
3 Atlanta Hawks
One of the most important aspects of running a team in these modes is financial flexibility. The Atlanta Hawks could be the best team in that regard. You start the game with plenty of space in the ceiling, opening the door to add a top-notch free agent, or give a current star a big expansion.
The opportunity to add a top player to the existing youthful core of the team is great. Trae Young is one of the best young talents in the game while the likes of John Collins and De’Andre Hunter have talent. You have developed into a championship contender faster than expected and the player can help for so long.
2 Oklahoma City Donner
There is no team more laden with future draft picks than the Oklahoma City Thunder. You have an absurd 18 first-round draft picks by 2027. That doesn’t count the second-round selections either, so there’s a lot of potential to build the future.
If you want, you can use these selections to work through the design. If you want a faster route, you can move it according to current stars. They have a young stud at their heart incredible Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and recently acquired All-Star Kemba Walker.
1 New Orleans Pelikane
In terms of competitiveness, a bright future, and veterans who can move on to other pieces, the New Orleans Pelicans have it all. Obviously, the biggest selling point is Zion Williamson, who does it to control and sink all opposing teams.
The Pelicans also boast all-star Brandon Ingram and the ever-improving Lonzo Ball, both of whom are 23 years old. This is a fantastic trio to build around. Eric Bledsoe and Josh Hart keep them competitive but could be postponed if necessary
