We are less than a month away from teams reporting to training camps around the NBA, and the official first sign that the new season is almost upon us is the annual release of the latest installment of the NBA 2K franchise, NBA 2K24.
While fans of the game will be concerned mostly with the gameplay changes and updated game modes, general NBA fans are always interested in seeing how the ratings folks at 2K grade out all of the players and teams in the league. Player ratings always spark debate, particularly among how they rank top stars and regarding players whose impact often isn’t fully felt in the box score — or, vice versa, those who put up big stats but might not always contribute to winning basketball. As far as team ratings, 2K has moved away from dramatic differences between top and bottom teams, as the lowest rated team in this year’s edition is an 86 OVR and they don’t even show team ratings in the game setup screen (you can find them in MySeason mode when picking through teams to start a franchise with).
The Brooklyn Nets roster for the 2023-24 season looks considerably different than the one that started last year, as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are gone and they are now building around Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, and a young core. The biggest swing spot for the Nets is Ben Simmons, as few are willing to attach real expectations to the former three-time All-Star, including the folks at 2K that have assigned him a 76 overall rating. However, given the team’s makeup with a lack of bonafide playmakers for others, if Simmons can return to anything approaching his form from old (which is a massive if), it would change their outlook considerably. In the meantime, everyone, including the 2K ratings folks, are taking a wait and see approach to Simmons and, in turn, the Nets.
Brooklyn Nets: 90 OVR, 90 OFF, 89 DEF
Mikal Bridges: 86
Nic Claxton: 84
Spencer Dinwiddie: 81
Cam Johnson: 81
Dorian Finney-Smith: 77
Cam Thomas: 76
Ben Simmons: 76
Lonnie Walker IV: 76
Royce O’Neale: 76
Trendon Watford: 76
Darius Bazley: 74
Dennis Smith Jr.: 73
Day’Ron Sharpe: 73
Noah Clowney: 71
Dariq Whitehead: 71
