MyNBA mode remains one of the most addictive features in NBA 2K26 because it lets you take complete control of a franchise's destiny. While picking a ready-made contender such as the Thunder or Cavs might guarantee your winning dynasty, there's still something deeply satisfying in taking and transforming a bottom-feeder into a championship team.
Whether you're good at drafting prospects or you can work your magic through trades, these five teams will offer you the perfect challenge as an armchair GM if you're here to prove your basketball acumen.
The teams I've listed below range from moderately challenging to something that you'll need complete teardowns that will test your patience and strategic thinking. A lot of these teams have a chance to draft this season's best rookie, but they also present other obstacles and opportunities that will keep you engaged for multiple seasons.
#5 Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets have been stuck in mediocrity for as long as we can all remember, which makes them a perennial favorite as a GM looking to rebuild a franchise. That said, the Hornets are not completely barren of talent, but they desperately need a second or third star to pair with LaMelo Ball.
Your current assets here include LaMelo Ball as your centerpiece, plus solid role players in Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, and Mark Williams (if you're playing MyGM scenarios). You're also one of the top 5 teams that can have a chance to get the #1 pick. During my first playthrough, the Spurs got the first pick, so I settled with the sharpshooter and Duke native, Ron Knueppel.
Your path forward in rebuilding this franchise is to get a solid backcourt and a good shooting guard to pair with Ball. My advice is to explore some trades for Avdija (PF) during the draft and try your chances in free agency to get a good SF or SG. One of your strengths here is that you have a young team, so you have the most potential to develop players as you go through the seasons.
#4 Chicago Bulls
It's been almost three decades since the Bulls were legitimate title contenders, and it's the same in NBA 2K26. With only Coby White, Josh Giddey, and an aging Vucevic rated in the 80s, you'll be in desperate need of an injection of talent across the board.
Your best bet here is to draft a good player in the first round and look to acquire a veteran or talented player that can replace Vucevic as your center. The Bulls need everything: a true superstar, a secondary scoring option, and defensive anchors. You only have Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Nikola Vucevic for one season, and it might be a good idea to trade one or two of them before their contract expires.
Playing for the Bulls means going full scorched-earth policy. Trade anyone with value for picks and young players and build a young core from scratch. The only good thing here is that there isn't so much expectation from the governor, so you can even turn this franchise into a long-term project.
#3 Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz seemed lost after the departure of superstar Donovan Mitchell. They're in an interesting spot because they're not quite terrible enough to warrant getting into the top lottery pick, but also, they're nowhere near a contender level.
Last season also marked Lauri Markkanen’s toughest stretch with the team, as he's had noticeable declines in scoring, rebounding, and assists. At times, he looked more like a role player rather than an actual star on a team. That said, in NBA 2K26, you can still develop him into a formidable All-Star alongside a defensive anchor in Walker Kessler.
One of the most notable things you'd have to decide upon is the upcoming free agent, Yusuf Nurkic, whom I advise to keep, and Georges Niang, who you might want to trade for some draft picks or a developing young asset.
But your greatest challenge in choosing this franchise is timing and choosing which players to move because of a limited stock of draft capital. With only a single first-rounder for 2026, you might want to start trading some of your role players for multiple picks.
The Western Conference is brutal, so you'll need to be creative with trades and be sneaky during free agency to snatch good players and build a better roster.
#2 Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are the worst team in the NBA this season. Right now, they're a disaster zone that serves as a cautionary tale about betting and mortgaging your own future.
This franchise has been riddled with a string of terrible trades, player dramas that saw an eventual Kyrie Irving exit, and an exhaustion of draft picks over the next four years. If you want a ground-up rebuild that'll test your GM skills, this is the team to choose.,
Your roster is filled to the brim with mediocre players, and if you choose MyGM Scenarios, you'll have the draining job of sorting out 15 roster spots, all tied under expiring contracts, including lethal shooter Cam Thomas. I've never seen a setup so colossally bad in all of my years playing MyGM in NBA 2K.
That said, your ultimate saving grace here is that you have a huge space in the salary cap, which is perfect for attracting a real superstar in free agency. Plus, you have all four first-round draft picks, which include the Bucks, Knicks, and Rockets' picks.
#1 Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have been a middle-of-the-pack team since clinching the title in 2022, and while you might think that having the greatest shooter of all time still active and competitive, the truth is that Steph Curry is nearing 40 and is fighting father time.
As a GM that's governing this franchise in MyNBA, you're in a ticking time bomb with a window to win it all in just two or three seasons. Your best players are all aging veterans, starting with Steph (37), Jimmy Butler (36), and defensive specialist Draymond Green (35).
After that, you have nothing but a bunch of young role players and a couple of other older, mediocre players on their way out. This is by far the most challenging team to rebuild in NBA 2K. You'll likely never going to have the same dynastic breath as their 2016 title run, and that's where the challenge lies. What does Golden State look like without Steph Curry?,
As the GM, you're going to start the 2025 season with a very undersized roster, no rim protection, and worst of all, no draft picks to boot. This is the most challenging team to play in MyNBA, and your postseason success hinges at the edge of the knife.
Since you're the Golden State Warriors, the expectations from the governor will always be dependent on whether you win the title. Once the remaining Splash Brother retires, however, can you attract another superstar to take his place and continue the franchise's long and proven winning history?
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