Video game simulations can be dodgy to say the least. Simulated games can end with scores in the 150’s, LeBron could end up on the T-wolves as part of a blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade, Frank Gore could actually retire on his own volition — you get the gist. And while it’s not an exact science, the NBA 2k series seems to be the closest to limiting those surprises, as they are likely the best and most accessible simulator out there.
In MyLeague, users are allowed to control every possible aspect of a hypothetical NBA, including potential expansion franchises, CBA rule adjustments, team relocations, handling of 2-way contracts, and more. With the sudden bolstering of this game mode’s creative potential, I saw the perfect opportunity to just mash X through 80 years of NBA simulation, and see what the future holds. While the game-to-game simulations may look rough, there has to be something to take away from an in-depth 80-year sim right? Very right.
For context, the 2017 season will crown the 67th NBA champion, while the final year of the sim will recognize the 146th. When it’s all said and done, the league will have doubled its length of existence (and then some). I’m going to be looking extra hard into whether or not the Grizzlies, Clippers, Suns, Hornets, Nets, Nuggets, or Raptors can bring home a championship since they’ve never been able to in the history of their respective franchises. It’s hard to picture any of these teams NOT winning at least one championship over the course of the simulation, given the fact that this is all a little random, but who knows.
For the sim, I’ll be using the default settings. This means current teams, current rosters, current contracts etc. I’ll also let the game handle everything it can automatically, to both minimize my own intervention in the simulation and also hopefully expedite the simulation process so I can get the whole thing done without being absolutely miserable.
I also chose against using any player created draft classes even though they are very realistic and those folks put a ton of time into them, just because it still feels early to project where current college guys will end up and how good they’ll actually be in the NBA. I’ve never had a problem with 2k generated draft classes and that seems like the most objective way to do it.
My hunch is that the 76ers are going to be pretty damn good over the next 15 hypothetical years. Not exactly going out a limb on that one, but if you’re currently wearing a Warriors jersey, preemptively buy a 76ers jersey and get ready to hop on that bandwagon. I also see LeBron breaking the all-time scoring record because he’s the GOAT and one of the only players ever to be in the conversation with Kareem in terms of career longevity. Other than that, I’m not going to take too many guesses so I can just be as surprised as everyone else as this all plays out.
At the very end, after a short recap of each and every season, I’ll be doing a pretty extensive write-up of some of the main themes of the simulation, how much of this info we can actually trust and apply to real life, and I’ll hopefully have some peculiar stats/happenings to share with you guys. See ya in 2097.
Disclaimer: There will inevitably be some stuff that I miss, that’s just the nature of the 80-year beast.
Year 1: 2017–18 (2:20 PM)
Champion: Warriors
MVP: Steph Curry (31.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 8.3 APG, .46 3P%) Yeah okay. 46 percent from three….
ROTY: Ben Simmons
Sixth Man of the Year: Kyle O’Quinn
DPOY: Andre Drummond
Most Improved Player: Kris Dunn
Transaction Notes: Dwight Howard and Frank Kaminsky went to the Heat for Hassan Whiteside and Jordan Mickey.
Misc. Notes: The Knicks made it to the Eastern Conference Finals somehow, and the Cavs were a 7-seed. DeMarcus Cousins signed with the Lakers after the season. Chris Bosh now plays for the Kings.
#1 Pick: Byron Gill (Kings)
HOF Inductees: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce
Year 2: 2018–19 (20 minutes in)
Champion: Warriors (3rd in a row)
MVP: LeBron James (25.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 8.6 APG, 57% from the field)
ROTY: Byron Gill
Sixth Man of the Year: Rudy Gay
DPOY: Andre Drummond (twice in a row now)
Most Improved Player: Jabari Parker
Transaction Notes: Mike Conley (Grizzlies) to the Kings for Chris Bosh.
Misc. Notes: Cavs back to the #1 seed after LeBron stays in The Land. Lakers and Kings both make the playoffs. Players now have to be 21 to enter the league (So much for one-and-done rule).
#1 Pick: Lu Wang (Suns)
HOF Inductees: Vince Carter
Year 3: 2019–20
Champion: Spurs
MVP: Russell Westbrook (21.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 7.8 apg, 46% from the field)
ROTY: Lu Wang
Sixth Man of the Year: Jeremy Lin
DPOY: Rudy Gobert
Most Improved Player: Devin Booker
Transaction Notes: Goran Dragic (Heat) to the Hawks for Jeff Teague and Justin Sweetney. Paul George re-signs with the Thunder (again).
Misc. Notes: Nets are in the playoffs. The Bulls make it to the Finals. (I swear I didn’t touch anything). The shot clock is now 30 seconds…
#1 Pick: Conrad McDaniel (Pelicans)
HOF Inductees: Dwyane Wade
Year 4: 2020–21
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Russell Westbrook (20.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 7.5 apg, 50% from the floor)
ROTY: Conrad McDaniel
Sixth Man of the Year: Jeremy Lin (two in a row)
DPOY: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most Improved Player: Otto Porter Jr. (averaging less than 10 ppg)
Transaction Notes: Khris Middleton (Bucks) flipped to the Celtics for Marcus Smart. Dwight Howard traded away once again for pennies on the dollar, to the surprise of no one.
Misc. Notes: Lonzo Ball made the All-NBA team, so maybe this simulation isn’t that realistic after all. Sixers are the no.1 seed in the East.
#1 Pick: Cory Hood (Jazz) (from University of Illinois!)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 5: 2021–22 (1 hour in)
Champion: Warriors
MVP: Lebron James (17.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 6.0apg, age 37)
ROTY: Lowell Flores
Sixth Man of the Year: Jeremy Lin (3rd year in a row)
DPOY: DeAndre Jordan
Most Improved Player: Clint Capela
Transaction Notes: Nothing notable.
Misc. Notes: The NBA does away with the backcourt violation rule. LeBron retires without breaking the all-time scoring record, finishing second by about 1500 points.
#1 Pick: Patric Barlow (Heat)
HOF Inductees: Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James
Year 6: 2022–23
Champion: Bulls
MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns (16.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.9 apg)
ROTY: Esteban Palermo
Sixth Man of the Year: Willy Hernangomez
DPOY: Myles Turner
Most Improved Player: Conrad McDaniel
Transaction Notes: Nothing notable.
Misc. Notes: Ben Simmons made the All-NBA Team. Jordan Bell was the Finals MVP (the Bulls end up with him eventually). I can’t even begin to explain how many things would have to go right for Chicago to win a championship in the next 6 years…
#1 Pick: Hariss Eminescu (Raptors)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 7: 2023–24
Champion: Bulls
MVP: Ben Simmons (13.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 5.7 apg)
ROTY: Lou Tiner
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren
DPOY: Myles Turner (2nd in a row)
Most Improved Player: Noah Vonleh (5.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg. Shoutout to a 30-second shot clock)
Transaction Notes: Nothing notable.
Misc. Notes: Bulls only dropped one game in the playoffs. Jordan Bell was the finals MVP again. Teams are scoring ~76 points a game
#1 Pick: Cameron Early (Raptors again)
HOF Inductees: Chris Paul, Dwight Howard (Yuck)
Note: These rundowns may get a little slimmer as current players fade out of the league and the automatically generated players take over.
Year 8: 2024–25
Champion: Bucks
MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns (15.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
ROTY: Hariss Eminescu
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren
DPOY: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most Improved Player: Cory Hood
Misc. Notes: The highest rated players in the game are Kyrie and Ben Simmons at 93 overall. A new LeBron is not yet upon us. We don’t even have a new Harden. Oh and the owners voted again to increase the shot clock. It’s now 35 seconds…
#1 Pick: Keith Schneider (Warriors)
HOF Inductees: Russell Westbrook
Year 9: 2025–26 (2 hours in)
League Champion: Bulls (3 in 4 years)
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo (13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.2 apg)
ROTY: Johan Eklund
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren (three in a row)
DPOY: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most Improved Player: Francis Goodwin
Misc. Notes: I’m assuming the Bulls hired Bob Myers or something. I really don’t know how this is happening. Furkan Korkmaz (2016 26th overall pick) might be a HOF’er when it’s all said and done.
#1 Pick: Randy Hammond (Rockets)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 10: 2026–27
Champion: Bulls
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2nd in a row, 13.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.1 apg)
ROTY: Norm Norris (killer name I’m rooting for Norm)
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren (4x now)
DPOY: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Most Improved Player: Keith Schneider
Misc. Notes: De’aaron Fox made the All-NBA Team. Please for the love of god will the Nuggets start Henrik Wallgren?
#1 Pick: Mauricio Ortega (Rockets)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 11: 2027–28
Champion: Bulls (5 of 6, currently no one on the roster under 29 years old)
MVP: Lonzo Ball (here we fuckin’ go… 10.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 7.0 apg)
ROTY: Otis Lowe
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren (this is just ridiculous… that’s 5)
DPOY: Byron Gill
Most Improved Player: Frank Hamlin
Misc. Notes: The highest rated player on the Magic is a thirty-year-old rookie that was stashed in Italy. Hariss Eminescu is the highest rated player overall. Lonzo is making 45 million a year and LaMelo is probably working at Foot Locker.
#1 Pick: Donnel Fox (Grizzlies)
HOF Inductees: Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Paul George, Damian Lillard (No Kevin Love)
Year 12: 2028–29
Champion: Bucks
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
ROTY: Salvatore Salerno (Reminder, 30 years old)
Sixth Man of the Year: Henrik Wallgren (Six…. SIX TIMES)
DPOY: Ian Cook
Most Improved Player: Lloyd Bellamy
Misc. Notes: Bulls lost in the ECF, Mike D’Antoni is now coaching the Cavaliers, Rick Carlisle has brought not only Chris Paul onto his staff in Dallas, but also Stephen Curry. The league is 85% unrecognizable.
#1 Pick: Nicholas Cunningham (Blazers)
HOF Inductees: The game glitched here and inducted Kevin Durant again, presumably one last jab at Kevin Durant for the Twittergate scandal of 2017.
Year 13: 2029–30
Champion: Nuggets (first in franchise history!)
MVP: Henrik FUCKIN WALLGREN WOW ITS ALMOST LIKE I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT
ROTY: Jackie Graham (also on the Nuggets, looking good for their future)
Sixth Man of the Year: Esteban Palermo
DPOY: Ike Anigbogu
Most Improved Player: Mark Redd
Misc. Notes: Before the season the owners voted to change the shot clock back to 24 seconds… oops. They also voted to make overtime literally just sudden death. First to score wins. The hologram of Dikembe Mutumbo had a field day in Game 6.
#1 Pick: Bryon Peterson (Jazz)
HOF Inductees: Kawhi Leonard, Andre Drummond (who averaged under 11 ppg for his career.)
Year 14: 2030–31
Champion: Charlotte Hornets (Their first in franchise history)
MVP: Ben Simmons (15.7 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 6.2 apg)
ROTY: Kaya Penbe
Sixth Man of the Year: Julian Cheaney
DPOY: Ike Anignobu (2 in a row)
Most Improved Player: Donnell Fox
Misc. Notes: Even with the rules reverting back to somewhat normal settings, player numbers haven’t rebounded as much as you’d expect. For the second year in a row, a formerly Championship-less team wins one. The overall league talent appears to be deteriorating. There are only two 90+ rated players (Ben Simmons and Nicholas Cunningham).
#1 Pick: J.J. Simmons (Blazers)
HOF Inductees: Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis
Year 15: 2031–32 (3.5 hours in)
Champion: Charlotte Hornets
MVP: Davor Nevsky (15.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.4 apg)
ROTY: Ramon Aguilar
Sixth Man of the Year: Alexi Kiba
DPOY: Jesse Warrick
Most Improved Player: Dan Joseph
Misc. Notes: Dirk Nowitzki wins Coach of the Year. 25.5 ppg was the league high (Richie Cohen).
#1 Pick: Shelden Smith (Blazers)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 16: 2032–33
League Champion: Grizzlies (their first in team history)
MVP: Jayden Briggs (12.3 ppg, 20.4 rpg, 4.1 apg)
ROTY: Shelden Smith
Sixth Man of the Year: Jack Johnson
DPOY: Lloyd Bellamy
Most Improved Player: Rashad McGee
Misc. Notes: This was the first year that all three All-NBA Teams consisted of 100% generated players. Richie Cohen is dethroned after five-straight scoring titles. The Grizzlies, Nuggets and Hornets all end their Championship droughts in a five-year span, a real heartwarming story that ESPN definitely wouldn’t be reporting to death. Who am I kidding. ESPN won’t be around in 2032.
#1 Pick: Eric Bowman
HOF Inductees: None
Year 17: 2033–34
Champion: Bulls
MVP: Jayden Briggs ( 14.2 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 4.6 apg, 2nd time in a row)
ROTY: Eric Bowman
Sixth Man of the Year: Wade Chambers
DPOY: Lloyd Bellamy (2nd time in a row)
Most Improved Player: Glenn Elliott
Misc. Notes: Chicago has yet to have a losing season. Dirk wins his third-straight Coach of the Year Award.
#1 Pick: Geoffery Teague (Pelicans)
HOF Inductees: Richie Cohen (first generated HOF player), Nikola Jokic, Kristaps Porzingis, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Year 18: 2034–35
Champion: Pelicans (first for their franchise)
MVP: Eric Bowman (16.0 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 3.8 apg)
ROTY: Marcus Hanson
Sixth Man of the Year: Wade Chambers
DPOY: Mikael Wallgren (Son of 6x Sixth Man of the Year winner and former MVP Henrik Wallgren?)
Most Improved Player: Juwan Hendrix
Misc. Notes: Ben Simmons and Jordan Bell retire. Gotta say, I didn’t think Jordan Bell would have such a decorated career.
#1 Pick: Anderson Cole (Timberwolves)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 19: 2035–36
Champion: Bulls (Their 13th title)
MVP: Eric Bowman (Second in a row, 17.9 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 4.1 apg)
ROTY: Anderson Cole
Sixth Man of the Year: Donnell Fox
DPOY: Eric Bowman
Most Improved Player: Conrad Peterson
Misc. Notes: This whole simulation thing is not a very good time.
#1 Pick: Martin Dennis (Two first names. I don’t trust he’ll be any good)
HOF Inductees: Ben Simmons, Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz??????
Year 20: 2036–37 (4 hours in)
Champion: Wizards
MVP: Shelden Smith (22.4ppg, 10.5 rpg, 5.3 apg)
ROTY: Terrell Nance
Sixth Man of the Year: Al Parks
DPOY: Eric Bowman
Most Improved Player: Chuck Wallace
Misc. Notes: League seems to be on a bit of an upturn. There’s now six players with a 90+ rating.
#1 Pick: Lonnie McCoy (Knicks)
HOF Inductees: Karl-Anthony Towns (he’s the last remaining ‘real’ player from what I can tell), Byron Gill
- Going to take a break before my eyes bleed.
Year 21: 2037–38
Champion: Warriors
MVP: Shelden Smith (Second in a row, 22.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 5.4 apg)
ROTY: Donnell Stewart
Sixth Man of the Year: Andre Tinsley
DPOY: Shelden Smith
Most Improved Player: Bradford Alexander
Misc. Notes: Shelden Smith is in LeBron territory in terms of his overall rating (97) and the league has five players with a 93+ overall rating, way more than in past years.
#1 Pick: Max Hamlin Jr. (Celtics)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 22: 2038–39
Champion: Pelicans
MVP: Shelden Smith (3 in a row, 19.6 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 5.5 apg)
ROTY: Vladimir Dabanovic
Sixth Man of the Year: Donell Hamilton
DPOY: Shelden Smith
Most Improved Player: Donnell Stewart
Misc. Notes: The Pelicans still haven’t decided what their actual mascot is and are currently rolling with a Gargoyle, but they ARE winning. Commisioner Adam Silver is pretty old nowadays. Bulls finally had a losing record for the first time since Year 1 (and yet still were the 8th seed)
#1 Pick: Cole Strong (Pacers)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 23: 2039–40
Champion: Bucks
MVP: Terrell Nance (17.2 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)
ROTY: Cole Strong
Sixth Man of the Year: Drew Lowe
DPOY: Shelden Smith
Most Improved Player: Spencer Paxson
Misc. Notes: I’ve started using my downtime to read Reddit conspiracy theories. Maybe I can clone myself so I don’t have to sit here eating Ritz crackers and simulating my life away. Then I could… eat crackers and… do something else?
#1 Pick: Isaac Ruffin
HOF Inductees: None
Year 24: 2040–41
Champion: Bucks (2nd in a row)
MVP: Shelden Smith (18.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 4.6 ag)
ROTY: Isaac Ruffin
Sixth Man of the Year: Leslie Myers
DPOY: Antoine Baker
Most Improved Player: Gilbert Reid
Misc. Notes: There’s a generated player named Kelly Oubre, presumably Kelly Oubre Jr.’s father, who travelled into the future to participate in this sim. Players are now eligible for the draft at age 20.
#1 Pick: Jake Wilkins
HOF Inductees: None
Year 25: 2041–42
Champion: Nuggets
MVP: Shelden Smith (21.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.0 apg)
ROTY: Claudio Palermo
Sixth Man of the Year: Marcus Hanson
DPOY: Shelden Smith
Most Improved Player: Manny Santos
Misc. Notes: The highest scorer of all the generated players, Richie Cohen, still had less points than Gary Payton (42nd all-time). I have to imagine at this point the league is cool with players smoking weed and that’s how they actually managed to keep a superstar like Shelden Smith in Denver.
#1 Pick: Bo Snyder
HOF Inductees: Otis Lowe
Year 26: 2042–43
Champion: Pelicans
MVP: Shelden Smith (18.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.1 apg)
ROTY: Steven Moreland
Sixth Man of the Year: Conrad Peterson
DPOY: Shelden Smith
Most Improved Player: Richie Walls
Misc. Notes: The Bulls are struggling after several decades of dominance. This seems more like what fans have grown to expect from the Bulls: ineptitude.
#1 Pick: Jonathon Hamilton
HOF Inductees: None
Year 27: 2043–44
Champion: Rockets
MVP: Alfonso Sosa (25.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.8 apg)
ROTY: Jonathon Hamilton
Sixth Man of the Year: Mladen Lukowski
DPOY: Anderson Cole
Most Improved Player: Andre Harris
Misc. Notes: The league finally repealed the sudden death overtime rule. Alfonso Sosa shot 274/275 from the line, an NBA record for FT percentage in a season.
#1 Pick: Dee Grady
HOF Inductees: Otis Lowe (again) and Randy Hammond
Year 28: 2044–45 (5.5 hours in)
Champion: Kings (First since they won as the Royals in 1951, ending a 93-year drought)
MVP: Isaac Ruffin (13.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.2 apg)
ROTY: Victor Anthony
6th Man of the Year: Donnell Stewart
DPOY: Ulf Svennson (he SOUNDS like a defensive player of the year)
Most Improved Player: Allan Garnett
Misc. Notes: Maybe the Kings finally realized Vlade Divac was a not-so-great GM. Shot clock is back to 35 seconds…
#1 Pick: Dion Lawson (Suns)
HOF Inductees: Nicholas Cunningham
Year 29: 2045–46
Champion: Timberwolves (Their first in franchise history)
MVP: Isaac Ruffin (2nd in a row, 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
ROTY: Garrett Wade
Sixth Man of the Year: Donnell Stewart (averaging under 5 points a game)
DPOY: Shelden Smith (The GOAT is BACK!)
Most Improved Player: O.J. Morris
Misc. Notes: Brandon Ingram shatters the games played record (1761 GP) over a 30-YEAR career. Shelden Smith ties Kareem for most MVPs of all-time (6). (At age 37 can he get another???) The Timberwolves manage to win their first title of the sim, just under ten years after Karl-Anthony Towns retires, which does NOT reflect well on him.
#1 Pick: Walt WIllis (Nets, 86 overall and only 20 years old, I expect big things)
HOF Inductees: Otis Lowe (for a 3rd time)
Year 30: 2046–47
Champion: Lakers (surprisingly never won one with Lonzo… hm…)
MVP: Isaac Ruffin (3rd in a row, 12.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.4 apg)
ROTY: Walt Willis
Sixth Man of the Year: Iancu Busca
DPOY: Courtney Wooden
Most Improved Player: Shelden Cage
Misc. Notes: Year 30 is the closest we’ve come so far to 2017 in terms of the number of top-tier players in the league, probably due to allowing younger players to be drafted with higher potential ratings and more time in the league to reach them. Interesting implications for arguing to do away with the one and done rule.
#1 Pick: Nathan Fields
HOF Inductees: None
Year 31: 2047–48
Champion: 76ers
MVP: Victor Anthony (14.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.2 apg)
ROTY: Nathan Fields
Sixth Man of the Year: Joshua Smith
DPOY: Nikita Alenichev Jr.
Most Improved Player: Darrel Copeland (4.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.4 apg, please shorten the shotclock)
Misc. Notes: Talk about Trusting the Process. Kawhi Leonard wins Coach of the Year, presumably not by yelling at his players. Utah seems like it was a good fit for him. Players can be eligible for the draft at 18.
#1 Pick: Yuri Nevsky (Thunder)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 32: 4048–49
Champion: Celtics
MVP: Alfonso Sosa (19.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.2 apg)
ROTY: Artem Semenko
6th Man of the Year: Joshua Smith
DPOY: Nikita Alenichev Jr. (2nd in a row)
Most Improved Player: Rickey Coles
Misc. Notes: League minimum salary is 3.45 million. Stanley Griffith makes the most per year at 57 million, rising to 64 million by the end of his deal. Danny Ainge turns 90.
#1 Pick: Tyrone Ward (Timberwolves)
HOF Inductees: Eric Bowman
Year 33: 2049–50
Champion: Nets (Their first in franchise history)
MVP: Victor Anthony (15.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)
ROTY: Peja Tarlac
Sixth Man of the Year: Joshua Smtih (Third in a row. Please not another Henrik Wallgren)
DPOY: Nikita Alenichev Jr. (Also his third in a row)
Most Improved Player: Johan Norberg
Misc. Notes: Shelden Smith is currently 39 and plans to renew his contract with the Trailblazers, so he may very well play until the simulation is over. Edit: He apparently went back on this idea, deciding to retire after 18 seasons. Shot clock is going back to 24 seconds.
#1 Pick: Jessie Nelson (the first high-schooler I’ve seen be #1 overall, Spurs)
HOF Inductees: Shelden Smith, Terrell Nance
Year 34: 2050–51
Champion: Lakers
MVP: Victor Anthony (2nd in a row, 24.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 apg)
ROTY: Henrik Andersson (27.0 ppg WOW)
Sixth Man of the Year: Sean Bellamy
DPOY: Victor Anthony
Most Improved Player: Ray Richardson
Misc. Notes: Scoring is WAY UP across the league.
#1 Pick: Uwe Schroeder (3 year draft stash, Hawks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 35: 2051–52
Champion: Celtics (If the Lakers and Celtics actually win back-to-back Championships, just shoot me in the head.)
MVP: Nathan Fields (17.7 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.9 apg)
ROTY: Anton Bullard
6th Man of the Year: Max McCarthy
DPOY: Nathan Fields
Most Improved Player: Andrea Avanti
Misc. Notes: Numbers (overall ratings and player statistics) are finally back to where they started. Walt Willis is a 98 overall.
#1 Pick: Genwei Lam (Rockets)
HOF Inductees: J.D. Brady, Al Parks
Year 36: 2052–53 (7 Hours In)
Champion: Hornets
MVP: Victor Anthony (19.7 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 2.8 apg)
ROTY: Sid Smart
Sixth Man of the Year: Max McCarthy (2 in a row)
DPOY: Victor Anthony
Most Improved Player: Kenny Smith (The Jet?)
Misc. Notes: Walt Willis became the first 99 (perfect) overall rated player I’ve seen, which I said would happen. Just sayin’.
#1 Pick: Denlison Andrade (Trailblazers)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 37: 2053–54
Champion: Spurs
MVP: Stevie Thorpe (14.0 ppg, 16.0 rpg, 4.9 apg)
ROTY: Kaya Demunyck
Sixth Man of the Year: Jessie Copeland
DPOY: Nathan Fields
Most Improved Player: Sylvester Peacock
Misc. Notes: Not exactly a thrilling year for basketball, but they did reinstate the 5-second back-to-the-basket violation!
#1 Pick: Wil Allen (Lakers)
HOF Inductees: Anderson Cole, Alfonso Sosa
Year 38: 2054–55
Champion: Clippers (Their first in franchise history)
MVP: Nathan Fields (21.4 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 2.6 apg)
ROTY: Uwe Schroeder
6th Man of the Year: Sean Bellamy
DPOY: Stevie Thorpe (18.5 rebounds a game)
Most Improved Player: Justin Harlan
Misc. Notes: Clippy is dead, but the Clippers are winning and LA is… confused. Andre Drummond wins Coach of the Year. J.D. Brady and Shelden Smith are the only two generated players to make the top 50 all-time scoring list.
#1 Pick: Jorge Bautista (Trailblazers)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 39: 2055–56
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Uwe Schroeder (16.5 ppg, 14.9 rpg, 6.2 apg)
ROTY: Florin Steffan
Sixth Man of the Year: Max McCarthy
DPOY: Nathan Fields (23.9 ppg, 16.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, and arguably a more- deserving MVP)
Most Improved Player: Shaun Patton
Misc. Notes: The MVP voting seems to be almost limited exclusively to big men.
#1 Pick: Marshall Sims (Jazz)
HOF Inductees: Isaac Ruffin, Cole Strong
Year 40: 2056–57
Champion: Warriors
MVP: Nathan Fields (27.2 ppg, 17.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, DOMINATION!)
ROTY: Marshall Sims
Sixth Man of the Year: Max McCarthy (his 4th)
DPOY: Nathan Fields
Most Improved Player: Vladimir Tomasevic
Misc. Notes: This is the halfway point! Time to start drinking!
#1 Pick: Damien Morris
HOF Inductees: Nikita Alenichev Jr.
Year 41: 2057–58
Champion: Clippers
MVP: Uwe Schroeder (18.3 ppg, 15.3 rpg, 6.3 apg)
ROTY: Damien Morris
6th Man of the Year: Christophe Girbaud
DPOY: Angelo Paciani
Most Improved Player: Genwei Lam
Misc. Notes: I got all the dust out of my ps4, so things are running a little smoother. Also, Walmart should not sell 4-packs of computer dusters.
#1 Pick: Gurshan Francis (Pacers, gonna be a stud)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 42: 2058–59
Champion: Spurs
MVP: Uwe Schroeder (2nd in a row, 19.5 ppg, 16.4 rpg, 6.5 apg)
ROTY: Gurshan Francis
Sixth Man of the Year: Sean Bellamy
DPOY: Uwe Schroeder
Most Improved Player: Damien Morris
Misc. Notes: FT percentages have been through the roof. Apparently big dudes learn how to shoot around 2025, because the average has been around 96% since.
#1 Pick: Gus Stinson (Suns)
HOF Inductees: Sebastien Saramago
Year 43: 2059–60
Champion: Nuggets
MVP: Nathan Fields (26.2 ppg, 18.2 rpg, 3.5 apg)
ROTY: Jimmie Wilcox
6th Man of the Year: Brent Brand
DPOY: Nathan Fields
Most Improved Player: Brent Brand
Misc. Notes: Despite being a 99-overall player for 5 years, a 7x All-NBA First-Team selection, and a 13x All-Star, Walt Willis has yet to be named MVP.
#1 Pick: Dion Barrett (Bucks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 44: 2060–61
Champion: Spurs
MVP: Wil Allen (26.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 5.9 apg)
ROTY: Dan Emerson
6th Man of the Year: Brent Brand
DPOY: Nathan Fields (18.7 rpg)
Most Improved Player: Marshall Sims
Misc. Notes: Uri Nevksy broke Steph Curry’s record of 3PTM in one game, after hitting 15 of them.
#1 Pick: Bill Martin (Grizzlies)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 45: 2061–62
Champion: Pacers
MVP: Wil Allen (Second in a row, 26.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 6.1 apg, 99% ft)
ROTY: Darnell Longley
Sixth Man of the Year: Dion Barrett
DPOY: Uwe Schroeder
Most Improved Player: Rolando Aldridge
Misc. Notes: Indiana seems like a sad place for a championship parade. I have learned a lot about crypto-currency in the last 2 hours.
#1 Pick: Donny Toole (Knicks)
HOF Inductees: Victor Anthony, Jamie Rowe
Year 46: 2062–63
Champion: Lakers
MVP: Wil Allen (3rd in a row, 21.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 6.5 apg)
ROTY: Lance Hammons
6th Man of the Year: Brent Brand
DPOY: Nelson Thomas
Most Improved Player: Nikita Alenichev Jr.
Misc. Notes: This is not the same as the other Nikita Alenichev. Gotta say, that wasn’t the name I expected to see repeated. The new one also managed to not attempt a single threepointer.
#1 Pick: J. C. Harrison (Hornets)
HOF Inductees: Steve Bradshaw, Ricky Coles
Year 47: 2063–64
Champion: Mavericks
MVP: Wil Allen (Fourth in a row, 23.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 7.1 apg, 99% ft)
ROTY: Stephen Micaud
6th Man of the Year: Johnny Cohen
DPOY: Damien Morris
Most Improved Player: Mac Weaver
Misc. Notes: I could have learned a second language by now…
#1 Pick: Frederick Wagner (Pistons)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 48: 2064–65
Champion: Trailblazers
MVP: Gurshan Francis (28.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 7.9 apg)
ROTY: Toni Bagaric
6th Man of the Year: Jayden Green
DPOY: Damien Morris
Most Improved Player: Dane Tyler
Misc. Notes: Henrik Andersson has the largest salary at $57.5 Million. The NBA is as talent-saturated as it’s been in years, maybe rivalling Year 1.
#1 Pick: Bryce Chapman (Raptors)
HOF Inductees: Walt Willis (no MVP’s…), Stevie Thorpe, Walt Roberts, Rex Anderson
Year 49: 2065–66
Champion: Mavericks
MVP: Gurshan Francis (28.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 8.2 apg, Lebron-esque)
ROTY: Bryce Chapman
Sixth Man of the Year: Connor Maxwell
DPOY: Damien Morris
Most Improved Player: Jimmie Rodgers
Misc. Notes: To elaborate on my observation that big men have been dominating the game, 4 of the top-6 all-time rebounders are generated players. We have also yet to have a 30 ppg season from a generated player.
#1 Pick: Kris Gilmore (Warriors)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 50: 2066–67
Champion: Hornets
MVP: Dion Barrett (29.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 6.8 apg)
ROTY: Kris Gilmore
6th Man of the Year: Damian Sharpe
DPOY: Damien Morris
Most Improved Player: Ervin Swanson
Champion: Hornets
Misc. Notes: The Bulls finish 19–63. #fireGARPAX
#1 Pick: Justin Rodgers (Pelicans)
HOF Inductees: Bryce Shepherd
Year 51: 2067–68 (10 hours in)
Champion: Mavericks
MVP: Wil Allen (25.3 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 5.7 apg)
ROTY: Sidney Ruffin
6th Man of the Year: Frederick Meyer
DPOY: Wil Allen
Most Improved Player: Scott Russell
Misc. Notes: Warriors 73 win season remains the best of all-time.
#1 Pick: Henry McCarty (Suns)
HOF Inductees: Nathan Fields, Yuri Nevsky
Year 52: 2068–69
Champion: Pistons
MVP: Dion Barrett (36.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.6 apg, 50% from the field, probably the best season ever)
ROTY: Henry McCarty
6th Man of the Year: Johnny Cohen
DPOY: Byrce Chapman
Most Improved Player: Shannon Outlaw
Misc. Notes: 8 players have 90+ ratings, the most since 2017.
#1 Pick: Kevin Beasley (Knicks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 53: 2069–70
Champion: Pistons
MVP: Bryce Chapman (21.0 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 6.4 apg)
ROTY: Tom Gentry
Sixth Man of the Year: Nelson Curry
DPOY: Wil Allen
Most Improved Player: Connor Garrett
Misc. Notes: Henrik Andersson passes Lebron for 2nd on the all-time scoring list, but retires 1.3k shy of Kareem.
#1 Pick: Leroy O’Bryant (Magic)
HOF Inductees: Uwe Schroeder, Henrik Andersson
Year 54: 2070–71
Champion: Mavericks
MVP: J.C. Harrison (32.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 99% ft)
ROTY: Stewart Hampton
Sixth Man of the Year: Alen Dabanovic
DPOY: Bryce Chapman
Most Improved Player: Stephen Silvestre
Misc. Notes: I’m gonna die here simming these fucking games.
#1 Pick: Spencer Washington (Pacers, very weak draft class)
HOF Inductees: Louis Ewing
Year 55: 2071–72
Champion: Pelicans
MVP: J.C. Harrison (28.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.4 apg)
ROTY: Pisike Bajza
Sixth Man of the Year: Jerry Person (this is what my brain calls Jerry Seinfeld)
DPOY: Damien Morris (his 5th)
Most Improved Player: Cecil Whitney
Misc. Notes: A handful of franchises have still never won an NBA title. Adam SIlver is still the commissioner at the ripe age of 110.
#1 Pick: Ronald Finley (Spurs)
HOF Inductees: Nelson Thomas
Year 56: 2072–73 (11 hours in)
Champion: Suns (First in franchise history)
MVP: Henry McCarty (27.3 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 6.1 apg)
ROTY: Hariss Eminescu (second coming)
Sixth Man of the Year: Jerry Person
DPOY: Justin Rodgers
Most Improved Player: Chester Tatum
Misc. Notes: Either this is a freak chance, or 2k has some sort of name-pairing system because that’s two rather obscure names that have been repeated.
#1 Pick: Derrick Moreland (Raptors)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 57: 2073–74
Champion: Rockets
MVP: Henry McCarty (25.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 5.7 apg)
ROTY: Bryce Shepard Jr.
Sixth Man of the Year: Nelson Curry
DPOY: Bryce Chapman (17.7 rpg)
Most Improved Player: Laurence Phillips
Misc. Notes: Richard Matthews will make $65.87 million next year. Suns team salary totals 260 million, roughly 15 million more than the franchise is probably worth.
#1 Pick: Jamal Swift (Thunder)
HOF Inductees: Donte Johnson, Florin Stefan, D.J. Franklin
Year 58: 2074–75
Champion: Clippers
MVP: Bryce Chapman
ROTY: Jamal Swift
6th Man of the Year: Bryan Clark
DPOY: Benjamin Anderson
Most Improved Player: Henrik Joansson
Misc. Notes: Once again have a glut of 90+ players. I can’t wait for 3 of them to team up in free agency.
#1 Pick: Bradford Strawberry (Also #1 overall in my draft of players with sweet names)
HOF Inductees: Arnold Klein
Year 59: 2075–76
Champion: Raptors (first in franchise history)
MVP: Henry McCarty (28.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 4.7 apg)
ROTY: Bradford Strawberry (knew it…)
6th Man of the Year: Jaime Singletary
DPOY: Justin Rodgers
Most Improved Player: Sammy Anthony
Misc. Notes: The Jazz have yet to win an NBA title.
#1 Pick: Lawrence Arnold (Trailblazers)
Hall of Fame Inductees: Wil Allen
Year 60: 2076–77
Champion: Magic
MVP: Henry McCarty (4 in 5 years, 26.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.7 apg)
ROTY: Lawrence Arnold
6th Man of the Year: Henry Pederson Jr.
DPOY: Chucky Buckner (These fucking names just keep getting better)
Most Improved Player: Irvin Thompson
Misc. Notes: The top 25 free throw shooters of all time are now all generated players. Johan Svennson shot 99% over 14 seasons.
#1 Pick: Steven Robertson (Hawks)
HOF Inductees: Damien Morris
Year 61: 2077–78
Champion: Suns
MVP: Henry McCarthy (5 in 6 years, 27.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 5.6 apg)
ROTY: Steven Robertson
6th Man of the Year: Eugene Davenport
DPOY: Chucky Buckner
Most Improved Player: Laurence Briggs
Misc. Notes: Yeah… I got nothin. We’ll be done soon. I wonder what that final screen is gonna look like?
#1 Pick: Bradley Hope (76’ers)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 62: 2078
Champion: Kings
MVP: Henry McCarty (6 in 7 years, 27.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 6.1 apg)
ROTY: Bradley Hope
Sixth Man of the Year: Mlauden Gurovic
DPOY: Justin Rodgers
Most Improved Player: Tim Hailey
Misc. Notes: Henry McCarty will likely go down as the most decorated player of all-time, and if the simulator wasn’t so random, he would have more titles.
#1 Pick: Joathan Adams Jr. (Pacers)
HOF Inductees: Gurshan Francis, Dion Barrett, Dan Emerson, Toni Bagaric
Year 63: 2079–80
Champion: Wizards
MVP: Jamal Swift ( 28.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.8 apg)
ROTY: Lance Jennings
6th Man of the Year: Ernest Geiger
DPOY: Chucky Buckner
Most Improved Player: Wil Sampson
Misc. Notes: Teams have an average of about 13 numbers retired.
#1 Pick: Jimmy Terry (Grizzlies)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 64: 2080–81
Champion: Lakers
MVP: Ronald Finley (23.6 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 2.9 apg)
ROTY: Havel Dugonics
6th Man of the Year: Ernest Geiger
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher
Most Improved Player: Johan Sundin
Misc. Notes: Shea Serrano is still tweeting away in the social media sidebar like it’s 2017.
#1 Pick: Frank Allen (Nets)
HOF Inductees: Noel Chambers
Year 65: 2081–82
Champion: Rockets
MVP: Jamal Swift (30.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 7.7 apg)
ROTY: Eric Cheeks
Sixth Man of the Year: Jackson Howell
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher
Most Improved Player: Garry Gatson (up-and-coming rapper, Garry Gatson)
Misc. Notes: The Suns did not age out of their prime very well…Sudden death rule was eliminated for this year and the overtime rules were reverted back to default, players are now eligible for the draft at 19.
#1 Pick: Ron Sparks (Suns)
HOF Inductees: J.C. Harrison
Year 66: 2082–83 (13 hours in)
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Jamal Swift (2nd in a row, 27.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 7.3 apg)
ROTY: Dino Bagaric
6th Man of the Year: Edmund Cross
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher
Most Improved Player: Calvin Weaver
Misc. Notes: I’m just going to plug r/ScottishPeopleTwitter because it is getting me through this madness
#1 Pick: Giogios Giannou (Magic)
HOF Inductees: Bryce Chapman (14.5 rpg for his career)
Year 67: 2083–84
Champion: Wizards
MVP: Jamal Swift (3rd in a row, 26.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 7.3 apg)
ROTY: Claudio Batista
6th Man of the Year: Jackson Howell
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (4 in a row)
Most Improved Player: Ron Sparks
Misc. Notes: The salary cap is now $174.5 million. Shot clock is 35 seconds again, so just go ahead and kill me.
#1 Pick: Alejandro Garcia (Bucks. Very, very weak draft class. He’s a 68 overall)
HOF Inductees: Frederick Wagner, Brent Christie
Year 68: 2084–85
Champion: Pacers
MVP: Wil Sampson (8.3 apg, 1.7 rpg, 6.6 apg)
ROTY: Garrett Porter
6th Man of the Year: Eddie Sheridan
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (5 in a row)
Most Improved Player: Dick Westphal
Misc. Notes: I could have flown from Chicago to Tokyo in the amount of time I’ve spent doing this simulation.
#1 Pick: Okan Izzet (Bulls, 3-year draft stash)
HOF Inductees: Henry McCarty, Francis Garnett (descendant of kevin?), Pisike Bajza, Stewart Hampton
Year 69: 2085–86
Champion: Heat
MVP: Marcel Dupin (9.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.1 apg)
ROTY: Marcel Dupin (Dupin is just the third player in NBA History to win MVP and ROTY in the same season (Wes Unseld and Wilt Chamberlain were the other two.)
Sixth Man of the Year: Eric Cheeks
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (6th in a row)
Most Improved Player: Matt Hubbard
Misc. Notes: The top scorer in the All-Star Game had 11 points.
#1 Pick: Jud Ray Jr.
HOF Inductees: None
Year 70: 2086–87
Champion: Heat
MVP: Kyle Rowe (10.9 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 0.4 apg)
ROTY: Norman Barnett
Sixth Man of the Year: Eric Cheeks
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (7 in a row)
Most Improved Player: Dana Burns
Misc. Notes: The league minimum is $5.68 million, No centers were drafted until the 21st pick, so maybe it’s the era of the guards again.
#1 Pick: Clark Hubbard (Suns)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 71: 2087–88 (14 hours in)
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Rabiu Afolabi (10.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.9 apg)
ROTY: Chase Smith
6th Man of the Year: Terrell Hopkins
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (his 8th…)
Most Improved Player: Maurice James
Misc. Notes: The Knicks had both the 3rd and 4th overall picks.
#1 Pick: Monty Singleton (Bucks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 72: 2088–89
Champion: Bulls
MVP: Bradley Hope (15.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.0 apg)
ROTY: Okan Izzet
6th Man of the Year: Eric Cheeks
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (9th in a row…)
Most Improved Player: Doyle Cassell
Misc. Notes: Dion Barrett, Gurshan Francis, and Henrik Anderssen all scored more career points than LeBron, but still ended up with fewer than Kareem.
#1 Pick: Rex Moody (Grizzlies)
HOF Inductees: Tom Gentry, Chucky Buckner
Year 73: 2089–90
Champion: 76ers
MVP: Norman Barnett (16.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
ROTY: Jason Keller
Sixth Man of the Year: Francis Holmes
DPOY: Tyler Fletcher (this is just preposterous)
Most Improved Player: Tommy Jinks (action hero name?)
Misc Notes: I have a bottle of champagne for when this is over….
#1 Pick: Al Wright (Lakers)
HOF Inductees: Kenneth Cannon, Ernest Bernard, Henrik Johansson)
Year 74: 2090–91
Champion: Wizards
MVP: Bradley Hope (20.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.5 apg)
ROTY: Al Wright
6th Man of the Year: Eric Cheeks
DPOY: Okan Izzet
Most Improved Player: Horace Saunders
Misc. Notes: 3-second violations changed to 5-seconds.
#1 Pick: Dustin Washburn (Hawks)
HOF Inductees: Ronald Finley
Year 75: 2091–92
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Tommy Jinks (11.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.8 apg)
ROTY: Shane Benjamin
6th Man of the Year: Pete Holland
DPOY: Garrett Porter
Most Improved Player: Eric Gadson
Misc. Notes: It’d be really nice to sit down..And play a real game of 2k…
#1 Pick: Chad Grace (Rockets)
HOF Inductees: Jamal Swift
Year 76: 2092–93 (15 hours in)
Champion: Thunder
MVP: Jud Ray Jr. (13.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.4 apg)
ROTY: Chad Grace
6th Man of the Year: Barney Boone
DPOY: Okan Izzet
Most Improved Player: Clark Hubbard
Misc. Notes: Coaches’ contracts have not scaled with the rising salary cap and hypothetical inflation.
#1 Pick: Jimmy Augustin (Hawks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 77: 2093–94
Champion: Hawks (first since 1958, a 135 year drought…)
MVP: Jud Ray Jr. (2nd in a row, 15.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.2 apg)
ROTY: Jimmy Augustin
6th Man of the Year: Pete Holland
DPOY: Okan Izzet
Most Improved Player: Wade Jenkins
Misc. Notes: The top 10 all-time points per game list looks completely different, indicating that generated players had much more durability than real ones, as they put up more points over the course of their careers without having particularly massive scoring seasons individually.
#1 Pick: O.J. Farmer (Knicks)
HOF Inductees: None
Year 78: 2094–95
Champion: Kings
MVP: Jud Ray Jr. (14.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.2 apg)
ROTY: O.J. Farmer
6th Man of the Year: Mitchell Tatum
DPOY: Okan Izzet
Most Improved Player: Jevon Brown
Misc. Notes: Little do these young guns know… the league is gonna come crashing down in 2 more years…
#1 Pick: Kenneth Wilks (Wizards)
HOF Inductees: Dave O’Neal
Year 79: 2095–96
League Champion: Hawks
MVP: Monty Singleton (24.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 5.5 apg)
ROTY: Kevin Slaughter
Sixth Man of the Year: Homer Simmons
DPOY: Chad Grace
Most Improved Player: Paul Arnold
Misc. Notes: Shot clock is now down to 20 seconds!!!
#1 Pick: Randy Schayes (Hornets)
HOF Inductees: Steven Robertson
Year 80: 2096–97
So apparently this is where the game just starts to crash. I guess that’s all folks.
First, a recap of all the Champions:
Chicago Bulls: 8x
Houston Rockets: 4x
Milwaukee Bucks: 4x
Dallas Mavericks: 3x
Denver Nuggets: 3x
LA Clippers: 3x
Sacramento Kings: 3x
Atlanta Hawks: 2x
Boston Celtics: 2x
Detroit Pistons: 2x
Indiana Pacers: 2x
Miami Heat: 2x
Phoenix Suns: 2x
Brooklyn Nets: 1x
Toronto Raptors: 1x
Orlando Magic: 1x
Utah Jazz: 0 (like… ever….)
We saw two dynasties form, as the Bulls won an absurd 5 championships in 6 years (2022–2027), while the current Warriors squad ended up with 5 in 8 years, from 2014–2021. The big thing to remember here is that 2k can’t account for something like the incredible infrastructure that the Spurs have built over the years, or the inevitability of KD switching to the Vegas favorite once the Warriors start to decline. One interesting thing to note is there were 5 teams who were able to repeat as NBA champions (Bucks, Thunder, Heat, Warriors and Bulls) and two that were able to pull off the three-peat (Warriors and Bulls).
As for what we can really take away from this simulation, here are a few themes I found along the way.
Lengthening the shot clock might actually ruin the NBA.
If you’re looking for a way to counter the high-flying, spread-the-floor, three- ball-oriented offenses of the 2010’s, lengthening the shot clock should be a key plank of your platform. You’d be a monster for wanting to ruin the fun for everyone, but it would work. In the simulation, the shot clock was lengthened to 35 seconds, effectively allowing defensive-minded teams to stifle the pace of play down to such an extent that the league’s leading scorers struggled to put up 20 ppg. Two things with this: 1) The shot clock will never be lengthened to 35 seconds, as the group of people pining for this rule change would be rather small and fans tend to like fast-paced basketball, and 2) Even if it did, the league would be hard-pressed to find teams that would put those extra seconds to use.
The talent in the league is geared towards fitting the current run-and-gun, three-point shooting style of the modern Warriors (and the Suns before them). This style has trickled-down to the lowest levels of competitive basketball, and young players are being groomed to fit these roles. An abrupt change in the style of play would lead to the kinds of numbers we saw players put up in the simulation during the 30/35 second shot clock eras, and would force multiple generations of players into roles they aren’t fit for. This wouldn’t help anyone, outside of maybe the Pistons with Andre Drummond, or the Grizzlies if they want to revert back to their grit and grind days. This is all to say that basically, this would never happen, but it is kind of cool to look at what might happen to the league if it did.
Apparently, the solution to the ‘hack-a’ strategy is to teach big men how to shoot free throws at a 99% clip.
In short, this also will never, ever happen. The sim saw multiple players have 99% seasons from the line, and Johan Svennson even shoot 99% over a 14-year career. (I’d like to think this happened after everyone started shooting underhand). No matter how you slice it though, this efficiency is beyond unrealistic. For reference, Jose Calderon has the best single-season free throw percentage in league history at just above 98%).
If 2k is right, it’s gonna be a rough 8 decades for Jazz and Cavs fans. Oh, and did I mention that the Knicks didn’t win either?
Sorry Utah, you still don’t have an NBA championship. For the sake of Jazz fans, I hope 2k is wrong. As for the Cavs, it’s hard to imagine that LeBron goes ringless, yet in this simulation, he spent the rest of his days in Cleveland, on teams that were always competitive, but never champions. They also never managed to have the #1 pick, which makes this all the odder. And, I can’t make this shit up… the Knicks didn’t win a title either, which makes for a 122-year drought. Statistically, it seems unlikely that any team could not win a championship in the next 80 years, but crazier things have happened, and if it happened to anyone, it’d be tortured Knicks fans.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record might be untouchable.
Two things undercut my prediction that LeBron would become the league’s all-time scoring leader: the shot clock rule change, and his earlier (than expected) retirement. For whatever reason, LeBron decided to walk away a year before he would have passed Kareem. Come to think of it, the three generated players who finished above him also retired within a good season’s point total of Kareem, so maybe that’s just not a record that any of us will ever live to see broken. Wilt’s rebound record is also in this unbreakable conversation, as no one got within four thousand rebounds of the Stilt.
We are in the midst of an incredible era for basketball.
Current players did well in this simulation. Steph dominated (as expected) finishing with 4,456 career 3-pointers made. Kevin Durant outscored Michael Jordan. Markelle Fultz made the fucking Hall-of-Fame. Current players generally held their own, even among the dominating computer-generated players. The game’s also being played incredibly fast (not like Oscar Robertson era fast, but still pretty fast), and players are shooting way more threes than ever before, upping scoring efficiency across the board. Finally, this era of players is simply bigger, faster, stronger, and more talented than any era we‘ve ever had. So yes, I think history will look back on this era favorably. Then again, that’s probably what every era says, so what the hell do I know.
In the end, the fact that one of the most accurate and thorough basketball simulators can’t give a perfect conception of what the NBA will look like over the next 80 years shouldn’t be all that surprising. Imagine the feeling you would have had if I told you in 2007 that a 7’3’’ dude from Latvia would go on to win the 2017 NBA Skills Competition — and that was only a decade ago. Now consider that there are probably hundreds of surprises just like that waiting for us over the next 80 years. So sit back, and enjoy watching it all play out.
OMG. I actually made it to the end. Cavs didn’t win a championship in the next 80 years? Jazz, what people say “the sleeper team, the most slept team” has been hibernated for 80 years. LMFAO yeah keep sleeping bud, looks like your team is in the coma and is never gonna wake up anytime soon.
Knicks, its not a surprise. They are just trash and bad luck. I think its time for them to be like Seattle Supersonics and relocate or shut down the franchise and make way for a new expansion team. Its not a bad idea, a new expansion team, im pretty sure they will have more success if not (if it ended badly), at least they are not the knicks.
Yeah the knicks are the browns of NBA. To the jazz, its ok to use this excuse: At least we are not the knicks. LMFAO
jesus. I actually made it to the end. Cavs didn’t win a championship in the next 80 years? Jazz, what people say “the sleeper team, the most slept team” has been hibernated for 80 years. LMFAO yeah keep sleeping bud, looks like your team is in the coma and is never gonna wake up anytime soon.
Knicks, its not a surprise. They are just trash and bad luck. I think its time for them to be like Seattle Supersonics and relocate or shut down the franchise and make way for a new expansion team. Its not a bad idea, a new expansion team, im pretty sure they will have more success if not (if it ended badly), at least they are not the knicks.
Yeah the knicks are the browns of NBA. To the jazz, its ok to use this excuse: At least we are not the knicks. LMFAO