Team

Name

Charlotte

Jerami Grant

Grant plays alongside two of the best ball handlers/ playmakers in the game in Paul and Luka Doncic. His role is simple, keep the opposing wings in front of him, move the ball and hit the open shots when Luka and CP3 see the double teams. So far this season, Grant has been incredibly effective at making up for the deficiencies of Luka on D, he�s averaging 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists with a steal and a half per game.

Chicago

Hassan Whiteside

I hear opposing GMs reading this and asking, �duh, where are the surprises?� But Whiteside needs to be included in this list. He�s a borderline 2k star and allows Davis to get a smaller match-up while completely nullifying the opposition�s Center. Whiteside is also terrific insurance for Chicago�s weak perimeter defenders, Beal and Lou Williams, meaning when someone blows by they�ve got an elite rim protector to deal with. His averages are 14 points, 16 rebounds and 2 blocks per game and he carries a brilliant +/- of +10.3.

Denver

Willie Hernangomez

Big Willie has stepped into starter minutes on one of the best rosters in the league. His skillset a perfect fit around Steph Curry and a roster that loves the outside shot. His role is unglamorous - rebound, rebound, rebound and he plays a big part on a lineup with a +19 net rating. Current averages- 11 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.

Houston

Josh Richardson

GM Vitty is not shy on using the term �Boieee� and Josh Richardson is his long-time boi. While Richardson isn�t a scorer, he plays the glue guy role expertly. He can defend, pass and his athleticism ensures he�s always better in the 2k engine than he is in real life. He does a little of everything and is averaging nearly 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game and allows Jokic, Powell, Haliburton and Barnes to take the limelight on the offensive end.

LA Clippers

Corey Kispert

A rookie, dafuq? That�s right, the Clippers are one of the youngest and most talented rosters in the league. They have a number of funky line-ups they play, mostly featuring Giannis at PG. Kispert comes in here, he slots into the SG position as a BIG 6�7 guard forward and scores in threes while defences collapse on Giannis. In 25 mins he�s averaging 11 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 threes per game while showing glitch-like potential. What a find for the Clippers.

Memphis

The SG�s

Memphis have a few candidates for the glue-guy role, and really, they feature a roster with a bunch of NBA glue guys. Their SG position is loaded but without a star since Beal was traded a few years back. They now have 3 guys who combine to make a super glue-guy. They fit around Conley-Brown-JJJ and all bring a different dimension to the position. Tyler Herro is the shooter/ scorer, Marcus Smart is the bully/ defender and Derrick White plays the �bit-of-both� role. All three of the aforementioned players feature on a line-up with a net rating around or surpassing 30, meaning they�re really good. Watch out for Memphis this year.

Milwaukee

Thaddius Young

Thad is a real-life and NSL glue guy. He averages a touch over 30 minutes a game and is one of the most important players in Milwaukee for overall net rating. Young�s best minutes come at the SF position where he locks down his opponents and allows SGA to make all the decisions with the ball. In his 30 minutes per contest, Young is putting up 10 points with 7 rebounds and 3 assists so far this season.

Minnesota

Dwight Howard

The league already knows the value of Superman. He was a stating center in a championship team and does everything you want from a 2k big- rebounds, protects the rim and finishes lobs at a low usage. Dwight is currently coming off the bench (though that may change) and plays the PF position in a lineup that has a 26.3 net rating. Has GM Ethan unlocked the superman potential?

New Orleans

Mikal Bridges

Playing the SF position on a loaded New Orleans team, Bridges has a minimal role on the offensive end. Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant and John Collins carry the scoring load meaning a player who does the dirty work is needed. Enter Bridges. He�s a shooter who is mastering his craft on the defensive end as a lock down threat on every night. While only averaging 7 points and 3 rebounds per game, Mikal has a +/- rating of +12.1 on the season and plays the SF position on a line up with a net rating of 32! Needless to say, he�s a difference maker.

Orlando

Lauri Markkanen

When looking over the +/- in Orlando, surprisingly there�s a lot of negatives as they�ve started slowly in 2021-22. Interestingly, Markkanen is the guy who is getting this team going after slow starts. He leads the team in +/- and has a rating of +4.1 and is the key cog in Orlando�s most valuable lineup with Young, Murray, Harris and Gafford, which boasts a net rating of 32.1. While he averages 5 points and 8 rebounds per contest, he might be the secret to Orlando�s expected ascendance in the coming weeks.

Philadelphia

Matisse Thybulle

Another SF, Thybulle plays the lockdown SG role while Dame takes all the shots he could possibly need to win games. He�s the forgotten man on the bullyball lineup featuring Dame, Dray, Gordon Hayward and Aldridge that boasts a net rating of 32.0. His averages will not excite you but his impact in winning will.

Portland

Taj Gibson

Taj is still relevant and impactful in 2k and real life. He�s not a glamorous player but a winner. GM JMAC has been on the record in saying, �Taj to start� as he continues to bolster this team with defensive impact. In 24 minutes per contest he�s averaging 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game while carrying a +/- of 7.9. He also locks the PF position down in a deadly Portland lineup with a 37.9 net rating.

Sacramento

T.J McConnell

If you ever wanted to hear a grown man froth over an underwhelming white point guard, ask GM Klemmo about T.J McConnell. He�s the engine for the glitch-Kings an is part of most of their most dangerous lineups as point guard. McConnell is averaging 5 points and 7 assists with an underrated 1.6 steals per contest. He is Klemmo�s boy and will continue to bring the energy whether starting or off the bench in the future.

San Antonio

Otto Porter

Another SF, Porter plays in between Jimmy and Lebron and fits like a glove. He�s tasked with shutting down the opposition SF and crashing the glass while making open threes when they come to him. Porter is averaging 10 points, 6 rebounds and a steal per game and is the SF on a Spurs lineup with a 64.2 net rating. Goodness me.

Toronto

Willie Cauley-Stein

As I write this article, news of Robinson and Bridges leaving Toronto is just surfacing and I believe it�s largely because of this difference maker being eligible for a bigger role. Cauley-Stein is on two of Toronto�s strongest lineups and while his numbers haven�t been huge, his impact gave the flexibility for GM Dunne to flip two great players for an injured Zion Williamson. Big Willie has a +/- of 7.8 while averaging 4.5 points, 8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

Washington

Terrence Ross

A scoring SG/SF, Ross beats up the opposing team�s 2^nd unit with his incredible 2k athleticism and glitch-like tendencies. His +/- is 5.5 (third highest on team) and he�s a great fit in the SG role when Booker needs minutes on the sideline. He�s always a threat for a poster dunk so back up centers beware.