MyNBA mode has always been one of the most popular parts of any 2K title, and NBA 2K26 is no different. The mode allows you to take over a team and make all the on-court and off-court decisions for the entire organization. This means you’re in charge of what happens during a game, but also the players who make up your roster.
If you’re looking to dive into MyNBA mode in 2K26, there are a couple of ways you can start. You could always simply pick your favorite team or a team that you know will do well right from the start. However, you can also choose one of the poorer teams in the NBA and opt to rebuild them from the ground up in your vision. This makes MyNBA mode feel a little more rewarding and offers you more replayability right from the get-go.
To see a list of five teams that we recommend rebuilding in 2K26, take a look below. The teams will be numbered, but they’re in no specific order.
5. Chicago Bulls
Don’t you think it’s finally time for the Chicago Bulls to re-enter the elite tier of the Eastern Conference in the NBA? It’s been over a decade since the Bulls were legitimate title contenders in the East, and that’s largely due to poor contracts being handed out, strange trades, and misses on draft night. Heading into 2025-26, the Bulls only have one player rated in the 80s (Coby White) and are in desperate need of any kind of scoring. If you’re going to rebuild Chicago, you need to try and acquire some decent role players and possibly a big name from a team looking to shed salary.
However, your rebuild with the Bulls will rely on drafting. Chicago has two first-round picks in 2026 and only one first-round pick in 2027 and 2028. You’ll want to stockpile some additional picks and get creative with trades, hoping one or two of your rookies pans out.
4. Charlotte Hornets
Another Eastern Conference team that’s been stuck in a perpetual rebuild for the last decade-plus is the Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets have virtually never been competitive since the days of Kemba Walker, and even then, they weren’t great. While Charlotte does have some talent on the roster in 2K26, they need some major help if they want to tackle the titans of the East.
Fortunately, the Hornets do have some draft capital to work with in 2026 and 2027. You also have a budding star in LaMelo Ball on the roster, along with role players in Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Collin Sexton, and Seth Curry. Rookie Kon Knueppel also looks like he could slide in as a 15-ppg guy right away. The Hornets aren’t in as bad of shape as other teams, but you need another star-caliber player alongside Ball and some definite frontcourt help to truly compete.
3. Utah Jazz
Our first Western Conference team is the Utah Jazz, a team that looks closer to competing than a team like the Bulls. While the Jazz lack any kind of superstar talent on the current roster, players such as Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler could find their way into an All-Star game under the right circumstances. Utah also has rookie Ace Bailey, who could become the superstar the team has needed since the departure of Donovan Mitchell. Kyle Filipowski seems to be putting things together after a rough rookie year as well.
The Jazz have decent future draft capital, but only one first-rounder in 2026. You might want to look into trading some of the team’s starters for more draft picks and then turning those into a star-caliber player to play alongside Bailey and whoever is left on the roster.
2. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are the worst-rated team in 2K26, with an abysmal 77 OVR rating. This is a result of years of horrific trades that become history lessons in how not to run an NBA team. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Durant, Michael Porter Jr. — the eye-gouging list goes on. In 2K26, the Nets have very little to work with on the active roster, but significant draft capital for the next three or four years.
You could attempt to build around a current roster player, like Nic Claxton or Cam Johnson, but the safer bet is to simply clean house and rely on trades and the draft to build out your future roster. Signing role players is where you’ll want to start, and then slowly try to acquire better players. You’ll also need to make sure to draft well, as a youth movement is the only clear way forward in Brooklyn.
1. Phoenix Suns
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. After an NBA Finals run in 2021, acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and signing Devin Booker to a massive extension, the Suns find themselves in arguably the worst financial situation in the NBA. While they did manage to offload Durant and Beal through a trade and buyout, respectively, Phoenix is still in a very tricky situation.
You’ll ideally want to continue building around Booker and perhaps newcomer Jalen Green, who came over as a part of the Durant deal. Beyond that, the Suns have an overwhelming number of draft picks, and it’s up to you how you use them. Do you attempt to package them for another star and hope it works out better this time? Or do you slowly build through the draft and make smaller, smarter trades, a.k.a. the Oklahoma City Thunder model? Either way you slice it, the Suns have one of, if not the most complicated rebuild in the NBA.
And that wraps up our list of the top five teams to rebuild in NBA 2K26. What team would you rebuild in MyNBA? Let us know down in the comments below.
