Dope news: NBA 2K18 will allow you the chance to play with the best possible all-time roster for all 30 NBA franchises. Ever wonder how your favorite team’s legends of yesteryear mesh with your best players today? Wonder no more, thanks to the magic of sports’ best video game.
Behold, the most absurd all-time NBA 2K lineups for every team
You had great suggestions for each team’s all-time starting 5. I, on the other hand, had terrible ones.


This got us thinking about who would make each franchise’s all-time starting 5. So, we asked you and tracked your responses.
It also got me thinking about the dumbest all-time starting 5s I could put together for each team. (Why? I don’t know. I gave up trying to figure out my brain years ago).
Below are the answers to both of those questions. If you can come up with a weirder all-time starting 5 for your favorite team, let me know in the comments.
ATLANTA HAWKS
My pointless lineup
PG: Acie Law III
SG: Dion Glover
SF: Dominique Wilkins
PF: Rasheed Wallace
C: Jon Koncak
Sheed was technically a Hawk, right? Also, poor Nique.
Your way better lineups
BOSTON CELTICS
My pointless lineup
PG: John Bagley
SG: Dana Barros
SF: Todd Day
PF: Dino Radja
C: Greg Kite
The Celtics have too many legends, so how would a team of forgotten Celtics fare? The schadenfreude already amuses me.
Your way better lineups
NEW JERSEY/BROOKLYN NETS:
My pointless lineup
PG: Rumeal Robinson
SG: Rex Walters
SF: Bostjan Nachbar
PF: Yinka Dare
C: Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez has played on worse teams.
Your way better lineups
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
My pointless lineup
PG: Raymond Felton
SG: Rex Chapman
SF: Kelly Tripuka
PF: Byron Mullens
C: DeSagana Diop
Let’s remember the worst of the early days of the Hornets and Bobcats.
Your way better lineups
CHICAGO BULLS
My ridiculous lineup
PG: Jannero Pargo
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Brad Sellers
PF: Victor Khryapa
C: Dalibor Bagaric
What’s the worst possible team I could create around Michael Jordan? I challenge you to do better.
Your way better lineups.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
My equally ridiculous lineup
PG: Matthew Dellavedova
SG: Sasha Pavlovic
SF: LeBron James
PF: Donyell Marshall
C: Chris Mihm
This team is definitely making the playoffs in the East.
Your way better lineups
DALLAS MAVERICKS
My pointless lineup
PG: Brad Davis
SG: Tim Legler
SF: George McCloud
PF: Charlie Villanueva
C: Shawn Bradley
Is Shawn Bradley ... the first option?
Your way better lineups
DENVER NUGGETS
My pointless lineup
PG: Michael Adams
SG: J.R. Smith
SF: DerMarr Johnson
PF: Nikoloz Tskitishvilli
C: Raef LaFrentz
J.R. Smith is gonna take every shot, and he probably should.
Your way better lineups
DETROIT PISTONS
My * thinking face emoji * lineup
PG: Rodney Stuckey
SG: Arron Afflalo
SF: Jonas Jerebko
PF: Jason Maxiell
C: Darko Milicic
Imagine a world where Darko turns into a star. The 04 Pistons start to age out, and it’s time for a new generation to take over with Darko as the centerpiece. It’d look something like this, right?
Your way better rosters
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
My pointless lineup
PG: Earl Boykins
SG: Vonteego Cummings
SF: Mike Dunleavy
PF: Todd Fuller
C: Andris Biedrins
Remember when the Warriors were a joke? Let’s go back to a time when that were true.
Your way better rosters
OK OK I get it.
I SAID I GET IT.
HOUSTON ROCKETS
My pointless lineup
PG: Yao Ming
SG: Dikembe Mutombo
SF: Dwight Howard
PF: Moses Malone
C: Hakeem Olajuwon
The Rockets are the franchise of big men, so let’s make them all play together.
Your way better lineups
INDIANA PACERS
My vengeful lineup
PG: Haywood Workman
SG: Fred Jones
SF: Paul George
PF: Tyler Hansbrough
C: Zan Tabak
Instead of punishing Paul George by making him play in Oklahoma City, why not build this roster and force him to stay?
Your way better lineups
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
My oh-god-there-are-so-many-options-how-do-i-choose? lineup
PG: Baron Davis
SG: Marko Jaric
SF: Yaroslav Korolev
PF: Keith Closs
C: Michael Olowokandi
We could create infinite terrible Clippers starting 5s.
Your way better lineups
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
My pointless lineup
PG: Smush Parker
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Wesley Johnson
PF: Slava Medvedenko
C: Travis Knight
How long until Kobe breaks his teammates’ eardrums?
Your way better lineups
MEMPHIS/VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES:
My pointless lineup
PG: Steve Francis
SG: Tony Allen
SF: Zach Randolph
PF: Marc Gasol
C: Bryant Reeves
Merge the pillars of Grit ‘N Grind with the two biggest player reminders of why Vancouver failed.
Your way better lineups
MIAMI HEAT
My rude lineup
PG: Gary Payton
SG: Mike Bibby
SF: Juwan Howard
PF: Chris Gatling
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
The all-time Ring Chaser team! Let’s see if you can do better.
Your way better lineups
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
My pointless lineup
PG: Lee Mayberry
SG: Charlie Bell
SF: Todd Day
PF: Marty Conlon
C: Randy Brewer
Another team with a ton of super random dudes that have played for them. Damn.
Your way better lineups
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
My Kahn special lineup
PG: Jonny Flynn
SG: Wesley Johnson
SF: Michael Beasley
PF: Anthony Randolph
C: Darko Milicic
David Kahn really went out of his way to get all of these players. I’m speechless.
Your way better lineups
NEW ORLEANS HORNETS/PELICANS:
My lineup to prove a point
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Marco Belinelli
SF: James Posey
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Omer Asik
Take the two best players in franchise history and surround them with a visual reminder of how terribly the franchise build around them.
Your way better lineups
NEW YORK KNICKS
Your pointless lineup
Your way better lineups
SEATTLE SUPERSONICS/OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
My suuuuuper fun lineup
PG: Gary Payton
SG: Russell Westbrook
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Shawn Kemp
C: Jack Sikma
Because this combined franchise deserves the best.
Your way better lineups
If you want Sonics only...
ORLANDO MAGIC
My pointless lineup
PG: Brooks Thompson
SG: Anthony Bowie
SF: Jeff Green
PF: Jeff Turner
C: Andrew DeClercq
Brooks Thompson was one of my favorite players growing up. Not joking.
Your other good lineups
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
My pointless lineup
PG: T.J. McConnell
SG: Allen Iverson
SF: Hollis Thompson
PF: Sharone Wright
C: Manute Bol
Will Allen Iverson ever pass? Tune in to find out!
Your actually good lineups
PHOENIX SUNS
My pointless lineup
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Eric Bledsoe
SF: Goran Dragic
PF: Negele Knight
C: Frank Johnson
Three point guards that feuded with each other and two point guards you surely forgot about.
Your way better lineups
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
My thought experiment lineup
PG: Damon Stoudamire
SG: Ruben Patterson
SF: Rasheed Wallace
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Bill Walton
How would Bill Walton deal with the JailBlazers? I wanna simulate a season and see what happens.
Your way better lineups
SACRAMENTO/KANSAS CITY KINGS / CINCINNATI ROYALS
My thought experiment lineup
PG: Jason Williams
SG: Doug Christie
SF: Peja Stojakovic
PF: Chris Webber
C: DeMarcus Cousins
The inverse of the Portland scenario. How will a fun team affect DeMarcus Cousins’ sour mood?
Your way better lineups
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
My thought experiment lineup
PG: Avery Johnson
SG: Willie Anderson
SF: Chuck Person
PF: J.R. Reid
C: Tim Duncan
If you look back in NBA history, the Spurs surrounded David Robinson with some weird rosters full of mediocre vets. Would Tim Duncan fare any better than Robinson did with them? I’d love to know.
Your way better lineups
TORONTO RAPTORS
My pointless lineup
PG: Mike James
SG: Vince Carter
SF: Joey Graham
PF: Rafael Araujo
C: Andrea Bargnani
How many Raptors fans would enjoy seeing Vince Carter punished with this sad team?
Your way better lineups
UTAH JAZZ
My pointless lineup
PG: Raul Neto
SG: Delaney Rudd
SF: Quincy Lewis
PF: Scott Padgett
C: Greg Ostertag
Remember when Delaney Rudd had an awesome moment in the 1992 playoffs? I swear, it happened!
Your way better lineups
WASHINGTON BULLETS/WIZARDS
My lineup to prove a point
PG: Mark Price
SG: Mitch Richmond
SF: Bernard King
PF: Charles Oakley
C: Moses Malone
Did you know all of these guys played for this franchise? Bet you didn’t, but it’s true. (Alt lineup: Muggsey Bogues | Nick Young | Ladell Eackles | Andray Blatche | JaVale McGee).











