Here are 30 NBA 2K franchise idea
Franchise Narrative Ideas
Expansion Challenge – Start with an expansion team, build an identity from scratch.
Governor Mode – Play as the team owner, making money-driven choices over basketball-driven ones.
Small-Market Savior – Take a small-market team (like Indiana or Sacramento) and turn them into a dynasty.
Historic Rewind – Rebuild a classic team from the 90s or 2000s in today’s era.
Villain Franchise – Become the league’s “bad guy” team—stack superstars, make shady trades, and chase dominance.
Homegrown Only – Only draft and develop players—no free agents or big trades.
International Takeover – Build a roster made entirely of international players.
Player-Coach Mode – Sim as the coach, focusing only on rotations, playbooks, and development.
Reclamation Project – Take a struggling team and rebuild with discarded or “bust” players.
One-and-Done Rule – Every star you develop, you must trade after 3 years. Forces constant turnover.
Gameplay & Roster Challenges
Positionless Ball – Draft and trade until every starter is 6’6–6’9, running pure switchable lineups.
Twin Towers Rebuild – Bring back the old-school double-big approach.
Budget Ballers – Never go over the salary cap, no matter what.
Rookie Reliance – Start 2–3 rookies every season, regardless of record.
Undersized Underdogs – Build a team where no player is taller than 6’8.
Supermax Gamble – Sign one star to a massive contract and build only with bargain pieces around him.
Defense-First Dynasty – Only draft/trade for players rated 80+ in defense.
All-Offense Squad – Ignore defense completely, chase high-scoring games.
All-Undrafted Roster – Build a full squad only from undrafted or G-League players.
College Teammates Reunion – Rebuild around players from the same NCAA school (e.g., all Kentucky guys).
League-Wide & Customization Ideas
Fantasy Draft Chaos – Do a complete fantasy draft, then sim 10 years forward before taking over.
Rule Change Era – Adjust sliders (no 3-pointers, or 90s fouling rules) and rebuild under those rules.
Super Expansion League – Add 4–6 expansion teams and manage league balance.
Historic Draft Class Only – Only import real draft classes (Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, etc.).
Future NBA 2050 – Sim ahead 25+ years, then take over a random team in the futuristic NBA.
All-Time Rivalries – Recreate rivalries (Celtics/Lakers, Bulls/Pistons) with modern players.
Owner’s Son Storyline – Your created GM is the “nepo baby” taking over dad’s team.
League of Legends – Populate the league with all-time greats (AI, Bird, Duncan) in their primes.
Draft-Day Drama – Every draft, you must trade your pick—no matter what.
The Relocation Arc – Relocate a franchise (Seattle, Vegas, Louisville) and build a new identity around it.
Which franchise idea do you like best? What are you doing?