We’ve heard all the jokes about the Los Angeles Lakers’ average age, but when it comes to NBA 2K22, you can bet you’re going to see a good amount of people online choosing to run with the purple and gold.
With LeBron James leading the way, the Lakers still have three viable stars and potentially dominant players in real-life and in NBA 2K.
Take a look at the Lakers’ roster and player ratings in NBA 2K22.
Los Angeles Lakers Roster | Rating |
LeBron James | 96 |
Anthony Davis | 93 |
Russell Westbrook | 86 |
Kendrick Nunn | 78 |
Carmelo Anthony | 78 |
Dwight Howard | 78 |
Rajon Rondo | 76 |
Talen Horton-Tucker | 76 |
DeAndre Jordan | 76 |
Malik Monk | 76 |
Marc Gasol | 75 |
Wayne Ellington | 75 |
Kent Bazemore | 74 |
Trevor Ariza | 74 |
I hear all the jokes continuing. Someone is going to ask if the number to the right of each name is the player’s age. OK, that was a good one, but if you use this time right online, no one will be laughing.
Here are the ratings for every player in the game.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers Are Still a Good NBA 2K22 Team
It starts with James. He’s still such a dominant player in real life and in NBA 2K, that his presence on the floor makes the team viable. If you’re playing online with the Lakers, you won’t have to worry about Anthony Davis’ durability.
Injuries aren’t active in Play Now Online games, so you can attack the basket with reckless abandon and contest shots at the rim like a mad man. Russell Westbrook is another player who has been built for 2K for years.
This year’s game makes small guards who can’t shoot pay a bit, but because Westbrook’s dunk rating is still an 86, which makes him effective finishing at the rim. However, you’ll have to be aware of the dunk meter this year. James is still tops in the dunking department on the team. At 36 years old, King James still has a 90 dunk rating.
While there have been some questions about three-point shooting with the team in real life, the Lakers in 2K22 have 7 players on the roster who have a three-point rating of an 80 or higher. The bench is a bit thin, especially if you’re looking for someone to create their own offense, but they can still go in 2K.
Previewing the Lakers as a MyNBA Team
If you choose the Lakers in MyNBA, you’ve got to be in win-now mode. Anything short of a championship in the 2021-22 season is a major failure. However, if you’re planning to stick with the Lakers for multiple seasons in MyNBA, you’re going to want to consider trading James at some point.
I know that sounds insane, but if you don’t you might be left high and dry when he retires, or perhaps signs elsewhere. If you moved him, you could probably get 2 strong young players and a pair of first-round picks that could set the virtual Lakers up for a quick rebound after the King.