With the release of NBA Live 10 less than two weeks away, I felt it would be appropriate to take a look at some of the best teams to use in this year's game based on all the offseason moves, with last year's list included for comparison. While Dynamic Season will allow users to play along with the 2009/2010 season without being locked to a team, I can already see certain teams becoming favourites to select in Dynasty Mode and for online games. Below are my picks for the top ten teams to use in NBA Live 10, along with a few other teams you might find interesting.

As with last year, I must stress that this is not an NBA preview or an attempt at a real life power rankings article; this is strictly about the appeal certain teams hold for basketball video game players this year. So, without further ado, let's get into it.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

The top choice in last year's list takes the crown again this year...and how. The Lakers are ready-built for domination, bringing back almost everyone from the championship squad while replacing Trevor Ariza with Ron Artest. The defending champs figure to be tough to beat in real life and you have to believe their virtual counterparts will follow suit. With a core rotation that features the newly acquired Artest slotting in with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton, you should be set for a few years in Dynasty Mode.

And even if you'd like to get younger or would prefer to make a few changes to the roster, you won't be short of trade assets. It would be very easy to pair Kobe with LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony or several other superstars you could name without losing much depth. Whichever way you go, the virtual Los Angeles Lakers seem like the prime choice if you want to rack up championships in Dynasty Mode or be king of the court online.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Last year they barely scraped into my top ten in the tenth spot, but the Cavs produced the best record in the league last year and acquired future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal at a bargain price this past offseason after falling to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. Speaking of the Orlando Magic, it's kind of a toss-up between them and Cleveland for the number two spot but I think LeBron's individual dominance will appeal to a lot of people and his pairing with Shaquille O'Neal is an intriguing story heading into the 2009/2010 NBA season. It may not work out in real life, but it's the kind of duo that's guaranteed to do some damage in an NBA video game.

LeBron and Shaq aren't the only two Cavs of note however. Cleveland also has Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson and the newly signed Leon Powe, Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon. That's a respectably deep team with more than a couple of trade possibilities, albeit not quite as good as the Lakers. Still, as a team ready-made for success in NBA Live 10 that also offers good trade prospects for the virtual GM, Cleveland earns the number two spot on my list.

3. Orlando Magic

Number nine in last year's list, the Orlando Magic will surely be a much more popular choice this season after their appearance in the 2009 NBA Finals. Furthermore, their offseason acquisition of Vince Carter is sure to draw a lot of interest as the Magic now have a trio in Carter, Rashard Lewis and cover player Dwight Howard that should be capable of putting up big numbers from all over the floor. Jameer Nelson is no scrub either and Orlando's rotation is rounded out by Mickael Pietrus, Brandon Bass, Anthony Johnson, Marcin Gortat and Matt Barnes. J.J. Redick and the returning Jason Williams could also offer decent production in limited minutes.

However, the Magic fall a little short of the Lakers and Cavs in terms of having a plethora of valuable trade assets. It might not be as easy to wheel and deal with their roster and virtual GMs might have to be a bit craftier in their trades - and settle for less - if they don't want to gut the bench. It won't be impossible however and if you want to shake up the starting five there's certainly enough talent there to bring in a superstar at a reasonable price.

4. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have their share of detractors as their style of basketball doesn't appeal to everyone, but it's difficult to argue against their success in the last decade. One of the main reasons for their success has been their ability to consistently put together talented teams that blend some of the best players in the league with a capable supporting cast who are comfortable in their roles. This year's Spurs team features Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Roger Mason Jr, Michael Finley, Antonio McDyess, Matt Bonner and Theo Ratliff; an impressive mix of stars hitting their prime or still in their prime, good players that are a bit past their prime but still able to contribute and some serviceable role players. There's some good trade value there too but it might not last long and age is certainly a downside to their roster if you're looking to play a few years in Dynasty Mode. Short term they should be an excellent choice however and in all fairness you won't be in immediate danger of losing all of the key players within a year or two. You'll have options moving forward and time to make a decision on some of your older key players.

Truth be told, the Spurs could be ranked third above the Magic but in ranking the teams on appeal I think the Magic might edge them with their younger lineup, the presence of the NBA Live 10 cover player in Dwight Howard and an anti-Spurs sentiment that seems to prevail with some NBA fans. Still, if you're mulling your options for Dynasty Mode I'd suggest giving them a look.

5. Dallas Mavericks

Here's another deep Western Conference team that made a couple of noteworthy acquisitions during the offseason. The Mavs have added Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden to a rotation that includes Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Erick Dampier. Tim Thomas, Jose Barea, Quinton Ross and Matt Carroll are also serviceable players, albeit not quite as valuable. A lineup of Kidd, Terry, Howard, Marion and Nowitzki could prove to be an effective run and gun style of team in NBA Live 10 and if you do play with the Mavericks, it's a squad you'll probably want to run with at times even if you'd prefer to start Dampier and bring either Terry, Howard or Marion off the bench.

Their deep roster won't leave you short of trade options, though outside Nowitzki, Terry, Kidd, Howard and Marion you might have a little trouble getting trades done with some difficult contracts and players who can get the job done but are not necessarily highly rated. Defense might also be a problem, but they should still be a fun team to play with and the potential is there to tailor their roster to suit your needs.

6. Boston Celtics

The 2008 NBA Champions drop one place from last year, being a year older but still a worthy contender in real life and in NBA Live 10. The acquisition of Rasheed Wallace gives the Celtics another capable veteran who can spread the defense with his long range shooting and should have enough trade value if you decide to go in another direction. That's the theme with the Boston Celtics really as they are an aging team that still has a lot of talent, so they should be great in the short term but if you're playing a few years in Dynasty Mode you might want to explore your options sooner rather than later, before some of the core players start a steep decline or retire altogether.

If you want a strong team for year one however, the Celtics remain a good pick. In Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallace, Kendrick Perkins, Eddie House, Marquis Daniels, Tony Allen and Glen Davis, you've got a core rotation that's very much capable of doing some damage. In the long term though, you'll need to look at doing some retooling on the fly to remain amongst the NBA's elite.

7. Portland Trailblazers

With the infamous "Jailblazers" era behind them and a seemingly bright future ahead of them, fans are jumping on the Portland bandwagon and that should see them claim a spot as one of the more popular choices in NBA Live 10. Trade prospects aren't exceptional with Brandon Roy and possibly LaMarcus Aldridge being the only players who could easily fetch a star in return so you may opt for smaller deals to improve the supporting cast rather than trying to swing a blockbuster. The tools are there to be competitive though with Roy and Aldridge being joined by Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, Martell Webster, Joel Przybilla, Steve Blake, Nicolas Batum, Jerryd Bayless and the newly acquired Andre Miller to form a solid roster of young talent and capable veterans.

Because of the more limited trade options, the Blazers would be a good choice for anyone who would like to develop young players while also remaining competitive. You should find that they have the talent to win 50+ games and take you all the way to a virtual championship while you attempt to mould some of their up and coming players into stars. Portland will be a more challenging option than the teams I've ranked ahead of them, but I can see a lot of people picking them this year.

8. Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons may not be the powerhouse they were a couple of years ago, but their offseason moves should make them an interesting choice in NBA Live 10. Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton are in their prime and are appealing options whether you decide to trade them or keep them. The newly acquired Ben Gordon can provide some firepower off the bench and may draw the interest of some Chicago Bulls fans who are disgruntled with his departure (though I'll probably still pick the Bulls as usual) and Charlie Villanueva is a player that could be developed into a star. Rodney Stuckey is turning out to be quite a player at the point guard position and in Jason Maxiell, Kwame Brown and Chris Wilcox the Pistons have a trio of serviceable bigs, Maxiell being the standout. Ben Wallace is also back and could provide some quality minutes or be dealt for an up and coming frontcourt player.

If you're intending to make a blockbuster trade, you'll likely have limited opportunities to do so but in Hamilton, Prince, Gordon and Stuckey you should have enough trade value to make something happen. The Pistons also have a quartet of rookies, so anyone looking to develop the young guys and get their players into the Rookie Challenge or win Rookie of the Year should have ample opportunity to do so.

9. New Orleans Hornets

They don't have the most impressive or imposing roster, but in Chris Paul they have a fan favourite and one of the best players in the NBA. The rest of the roster isn't too shabby either...just how well Emeka Okafor will fair in New Orleans is yet to be seen but NBA Live 10 players will probably want to toss him a few lobs with Paul. David West and Peja Stojakovic round out a talented starting frontcourt and the likes of Morris Peterson, James Posey, Julian Wright and Hilton Armstrong should have the potential to produce quality minutes. Trading anyone other than Paul, Okafor, Stojakovic and West will likely be easier said than done however and most users will probably prefer to keep those four, with the possible exception of Peja.

Like the Blazers, the Hornets are a mix of young talent and average-to-good veteran players that a lot of users will enjoy using and will likely find success with, but if you're looking to make a lot of trades in Dynasty Mode they probably aren't the team for you.

10. Memphis Grizzlies

I'm sure they'll strike a lot of people as an unusual choice for the top ten, but I felt like making at least one unorthodox pick and the Grizzlies could be a surprisingly fun team to use in NBA Live 10. First of all, they have young players who can be developed but are already pretty good in Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo and Marc Gasol. They have the second overall pick in Hasheem Thabeet, which should appeal to anyone looking to develop a project and chase the various rookie honours in Dynasty Mode. Darrell Arthur, Mike Conley, Sam Young and Hamed Haddadi round out a list of players that make up an intriguing young core.

And then we have the offseason acquisitions of Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph. On paper, there are certainly question marks as the real Memphis Grizzlies head into the 2009/2010 season, particularly as to whether one basketball will be enough and how the team will gel. However, they're the kind of team that works out a lot better in a video game than in real life as there's no shortage of scorers who can put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the court. Iverson and Randolph should have good trade value if you want to make a change sooner rather than later and while you won't pull off too many blockbusters with the rest of the roster (unless you want to trade Gay or Mayo), either AI or Randolph should be enough to get a quality player in return. Memphis will also be under the cap after the season so if you're playing multiple seasons you'll have a chance to vie for the high profile free agents in 2010.

So, that's my top ten. But how about some other interesting choices?

Miami Heat

The Miami Heat miss the cut for the top ten again this year, though you could make a case for them to slip in at the tenth spot. As always, I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy playing with Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley is in perfect position to be developed into a superstar. Jermaine O'Neal could be made to enjoy a virtual career resurrection, the Heat aren't short on young players to develop in Daequan Cook, Dorell Wright and Mario Chalmers and there are solid veteran players in Quentin Richardson, Udonis Haslem and Jamaal Magloire. Trade prospects are a little thin, but they'll be well under the cap at the end of the year so they have the potential to be a good long term prospect in Dynasty Mode.

Los Angeles Clippers

Normally this would be a highly unusual suggestion outside of Clippers diehards, but with number one pick Blake Griffin they have a ready-made Rookie of the Year candidate and possible future star. Baron Davis is still capable of being an effective player and Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman could be put to work as a two-headed monster in the middle...or put to use in a trade for a star big. Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan are there to be developed and Al Thornton, Ricky Davis and Rasual Butler round out a rotation that might not win a lot of games in real life, but could work a lot better when put to use in virtual basketball. It's not too bad a roster for making trades either, but there won't be any blockbusters without giving up starters.

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz are another team that could arguably be in the top ten and a lot of people would probably enjoy playing with. They have a nice one-two punch in Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer and if Boozer is not to your liking, his trade value should be fairly high (not to mention Paul Millsap is waiting in the wings). Andrei Kirilenko is there as a jack of all trades though he could also be dealt for a star player if you'd prefer, Kyle Korver is there to shoot the lights out off the bench and you should be able to go far with Mehmet Okur, Ronnie Brewer, Matt Harpring and C.J. Miles contributing to a strong lineup. You could feasibly swing a few trades with their roster and if you feel players like Boozer and Kirilenko are expendable you could get an All-Star in return but if nothing else they're a solid pick for a team that's capable of winning it all for you in NBA Live 10.

Denver Nuggets

Yet another team that could conceivably crack the top ten, the Denver Nuggets are a good choice if you're looking to compete straight away but with their current roster you're probably not going to be able to make a lot of trades unless you're willing to give up one of the starters. That said, I expect a lot of people will use them thanks in large part to the presence of Carmelo Anthony and their standing as one of the top teams in the West, but with the difficulty they present in making trades they might be a team used more in online play and Dynamic Season than Dynasty Mode unless you're a Nuggets fan. They do have a good starting five in Melo, Chauncey Billups, J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin and Nene however.

New York Knicks

This is one for people looking for an underdog story or something a little different. If David Lee and Nate Robinson end up re-signing as expected, the Knicks will have a roster with a respectable amount of talent to be put to use in NBA Live 10. The real Knicks seem unlikely to go very far this year owing to personnel and personality issues, but those are things you can get around in a video game. Another interesting scenario for Dynasty Mode would be to select the Knicks and continue trying to clear cap room for the 2010 offseason, sim through the 2009/2010 season and try to sign a big name or two in the offseason while picking up a good rookie in the Draft. It might not be something a lot of people want to try as soon as they get the game but it could be fun for a change of pace.

And there you have it. I'm sure not everyone will agree with my picks as we all have our own criteria in choosing teams for Dynasty Mode and for a lot of people, their favourite team is the one that they spend the most time playing with. As I mentioned before, despite these different scenarios I'll quite likely choose the Chicago Bulls are I usually do for my Dynasty game but if nothing else I expect I'll be playing a few games with those other teams in Dynamic Season and if you're still deciding which team to use for your Dynasty, hopefully I've given you a few possibilities to think about. In the meantime, please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts on the most appealing teams to use in NBA Live 10 as well as join in the discussion in the NBA Live 10 section of the NLSC Forum.

NBA Live 10 Top Ten Teams Summary

1. Los Angeles Lakers
   
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
   
3. Orlando Magic
   
4. San Antonio Spurs
   
5. Dallas Mavericks
   
6. Boston Celtics
   
7. Portland Trailblazers
   
8. Detroit Pistons
   
9. New Orleans Hornets
   
10. Memphis Grizzlies
    

1. Los Angeles Lakers
   
2. Portland Trailblazers
   
3. Philadelphia 76ers
   
4. New Orleans Hornets
   
5. Boston Celtics
   
6. Houston Rockets
   
7. Toronto Raptors
   
8. Phoenix Suns
   
9. Orlando Magic
   
10. Cleveland Cavaliers