NBA 2K17 MyTeam Tips: Players for Teams on a Low Budget

Bench

SG: Manu GinobiliOverall (Handles Collection): 80
HT: 6’6″ WT: 205 Lbs.
Price: 3,000

Sure, when you first look at his stats Ginobli might not impress you, but he’s one of those “I don’t know why he’s so good” players. It might even sound weird, but in my time using this team he was the 2nd best player behind Q-Rich. The versatility of this card is what puts it over most others for me though, being that you can run him at the 1, 2 or 3.

PG: Kyle LowryOverall (Current Raptors Collection): 80
HT: 6’0″ WT: 205 Lbs.
Price: 2,000

I feel like this card always has playoffs mode enabled; either he’s having the game of his life or you want to quicksell him. But the beauty of the bench is having options to pick and choose from depending on the situation you’re in. Lowry only found his way on this bench for the sake of his dynamic duo with Demar Derozan (your secret weapon). His share of the duo boosts make him a slightly better finisher and shooter but nothing extravagant.

SG/SF: Demar DeRozanOverall (Current Raptors Collection): 80
HT: 6’7″ WT: 216 Lbs.
Price: 3,000

I wish Kyle Lowry was just a shoe bonus card so Derozan could be like this all the time. When I first saw his stats in the mode I was pretty underwhelmed, but after seeing him with the duo boost, I gained a new appreciation for them. They (the boosts) give incentive for you to actually have a team different from others for the sake of utilizing duos that make one or both players completely ridiculous. This is one of them. Although Lowry/Derozan both only go up to 82 overalls, Derozan’s is especially cheddar. A 90 contested mid range and post fade boost to go along with his already strong finishing makes him as all around of a bench go-to as one can find. Can’t beat the price either.

PF/C: Kristaps PorzingisOverall (Current Knicks Collection): 76
HT: 7’3″ WT: 220 Lbs.
Price: 2,000

What would ANY squad be without the PorzinGOD himself. I’ve heard legends that your team may be cursed with bad luck if you don’t ever have one in your collection. This is another one of those interchangeable players off the bench but I mainly chose him to have one of the lankiest and most annoying bench frontcourts possible. He makes unexpected and-1s, knocks down mid-ranges and is a great off-ball shot-blocker to protect the paint. Sometimes when you’re ballin’ on a budget, you gotta pick up some of these sweaty players.

C: Chris AndersonOverall (Historic Nuggets Collection): 78
HT: 6’10” WT: 230 Lbs.
Price: 2,000

95 driving dunk. A center with 95 driving dunk. I could just end his description with that but The Birdman deserves some more love than that. Just the idea of a prime Birdman is one of those fun ideas that make MyTEAM what it is. If the mode didn’t revolve around squads with the best possible players so much, he’d be one of the most perfect players to bring off your bench. He does what he does and does it well. And since the makeup of your bench is following suit to your starters, all you need is someone like him as your bench big to clean up the glass and protect the rim while your perimeter guys go to work.

PF/C: Chris BoshOverall (Current Heat Collection): 80
HT: 6’11” WT: 235 Lbs.
Price: 2,000

The final three players of the bench will be your situational subs. Bosh is the cheaper alternative but if you can afford it, Lamarcus Aldridge would be an improved version. However, the main reason Bosh is here is for his post game. Porzingis provides shooting along with rim protection but no source of reliable buckets down low, and this year you need at least one guy on the court who can do that at any given time.

SG/PG: J. McCollum

Overall (Current Trailblazers Collection): 79
HT: 6’4″ WT: 200 Lbs.
Price: 3,000

Here goes Lowry’s first option replacement if he wants to start acting up. 3J McBuckets might easily be one of the most overpowered gold players in the game right now. His 90 open three-pointer just feels different than most. There’s a level of consistency in which he makes them that’s almost Curry-like. Being interchangeable at both guard positions makes him all the more fun too because his dribble moves aren’t bad at all. His true potential is unlocked when paired with Dame Lillard but Lillard isn’t necessarily required for this card to shine.

PG: Daniel GibsonOverall (Historic Cavaliers Collection): 79
HT: 6’2″ WT: 190 Lbs.
Price: 3,000

The irony in this guy being your 13th man is that he could actually start on the team. Boobie Gibson has been a hidden gem of MyTEAM since NBA 2K13 and has come a long way since. Even being dubbed “The Gold Steph Curry” with his 93 three-pointer, he still gets slept on with his 89 acceleration, 70 driving dunk and 95 vertical; he’s definitely one of the most all-around athletic PGs in the game right now.

Even though putting this team together might take you some time, trust me when I say it’s definitely worth it for how it performs. It’s no diamond squad but, as I said, you just need a team with the right players and roles being filled to keep up in a game of 2K. From there, it’s whoever the Gods choose to win that game. If you don’t know where to start, jump into some domination and earn a few cards to get your collector level up and earn some MT for a few of these players. Eventually when you’ve saved up a bit, jump on the auction house and find as many shoes for 250-400 MT as you can and work your way up to 175 cards. After that, assemble the 2K Justice League and layeth the smackdown one time for all the people without a diamond team.

I hope this guide helped you at least lay the foundation for your first squad, and eventually as you get more familiar with the mode and everyone in it, you’ll start squad-building yourself and make an even better one than this. If you have any questions about players then be sure to hit my twitter @TheSurrealAndre and don’t forget to visit Sports Gamers Online for all your NBA 2K17 needs.