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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at some alternative retro teams that you can create in the PS4/X1 version of NBA 2K14.
While I was on my extended retro kick with NBA 2K14 for PS4, I played several games with the retro teams. There aren’t as many to choose from as in later games, and while inter-era games can be fun, I do like to re-create historical matchups. As such, after a while I tried my hand at creating some alternative retro teams. I’ve already discussed my fondness for minimalist modding, and given the content that’s available and the lack of Create-a-Player in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1, it was a stimulating challenge to see how many new retro squads could be assembled.
To that point, there are some obvious limitations when you don’t have the benefit of mods and external roster editing, to say nothing of having to destroy the lone custom roster save file. However, as long as you have a backup on hand – either via USB or cloud storage – you can mess around and add some new retro teams to NBA 2K14 PS4, and later restore a cleaner custom roster as necessary. If you’re keen to find out how you can change up your retro gaming, let’s take a look back…way back…
While many of these alternative classic squads involve modifying the retro teams that are included in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1, some of them replace the current NBA teams in order to utilise their branding. Once again, creating these teams will leave you with a messy custom roster file, especially if you make a handful of squads. For all of its strong points, NBA 2K14 for PS4/X1 had poor roster customisation. As I said, keep a backup of your user data file on USB or cloud storage so that you can remove the messy roster, and restore your previous save file. Without any further ado, here is a selection of fresh new retro teams you can cobble together in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1!
1994 Chicago Bulls
It’s understandable that 2K would prefer to focus on retro Chicago Bulls teams that feature Michael Jordan. However, the 1994 team is noteworthy, being a breakout year for Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and B.J. Armstrong. You can assemble that squad with a few modifications to the 1993 Bulls. Replace MJ with Toni Kukoc, swap Luc Longley for Stacey King (if you want to reflect the midseason trade), add Steve Kerr, and you’ve got an alternative mid 90s Bulls team to play with! Pete Myers isn’t in NBA 2K14 of course, so you’ll probably want to either start Pippen at shooting guard while bringing Kukoc in at small forward, or have Kerr start alongside Armstrong.
1995 Houston Rockets
If you want to re-create the 1995 NBA Finals in NBA 2K14, all it takes is a quick edit to one of the existing retro teams! The 1995 Magic are already in the game, so all you need to do is swap Otis Thorpe for Clyde Drexler, who’s readily available on the 1991 Portland Trail Blazers. That’s basically all you can do to replicate the 1995 Rockets‘ lineup, outside of Sam Cassell being on the bench. You can leave Vernon Maxwell in the lineup too; although he left the team during the first round of the Playoffs, he was still technically on their roster that year. For me, the 1995 squad is more fun to play with, and I’d be in favour of them being officially included instead of the 1994 team.
1995 Chicago Bulls
Obviously, we’ve had the 1995 Bulls in NBA 2K before as part of the original Jordan Challenge, and they’re also present in the revamped mode in NBA 2K23. If you want to play with them in NBA 2K14 however, they’re very easy to create. I would suggest replacing the 1996 Bulls, in order to have them play their home games at the United Center. The 1995 Bulls were an interesting mix of players from the first and second threepeats, so make sure you bring B.J. Armstrong and Will Perdue into the fold. MJ should obviously be switched to #45, and Ron Harper’s position should shift back to shooting guard while coming off the bench in the wake of His Airness returning.
1995 San Antonio Spurs
Another 1995 squad that you may want to consider re-creating when you dust off NBA 2K14 is the San Antonio Spurs. It’s one of a few retro teams that you can easily assemble by editing the 1998 Spurs squad in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1. Dennis Rodman is probably the main motivation for putting the team together, but with Doc Rivers, Moses Malone, and Terry Cummings also among the historical players in the game, you can fill out the bench as well. You may want to reduce their ratings for the sake of accuracy, but even if you just want to use the makeshift 1995 Spurs as-is, they’re fun to use against the 1995 Magic, Knicks, and Rockets if you end up making them.
1997 San Antonio Spurs
While you’re messing around with alternatives to the 1998 Spurs, you may want to roll them back a year to their 1997 squad. It was a terrible year for them, but it ended on a high note when they secured the top pick and drafted Tim Duncan. So, why make and play with the 1997 Spurs? Quite simply, the novelty of having David Robinson and Dominique Wilkins on the same team! Vernon Maxwell and Charles Smith are also available for a more complete roster. Had those Spurs been healthy, they likely would’ve been among the contenders in the West that year. Instead, they’re a fun “What If” to put on the floor against other late 90s retro teams in NBA 2K14.
1999 San Antonio Spurs
Are you getting the feeling that there are better choices than the 1998 Spurs that could’ve replaced them after NBA 2K12 and NBA’s Greatest? Their first title team is a no-brainer, and its core rotation is right there in NBA 2K14. Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson, Will Perdue, and Jaren Jackson, are already in place. Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey, and Mario Elie are on other retro teams, while Antonio Daniels is included as a free agent in the rosters of NBA 2K14. Sadly, the 1999 Knicks aren’t viable as there’s no Latrell Sprewell or Allan Houston, but it is possible to provide the 1999 Champion Spurs with an era-specific opponent…
1999 Los Angeles Lakers
The absence of Glen Rice and Rick Fox leaves the 1999 Lakers looking a little thin if you have them replace the 1998 team. They’re still enjoyable to play with though, as the main appeal is teaming up Dennis Rodman with Shaq and Kobe. Derek Harper can be brought over from the 1995 Knicks – assuming you don’t want to keep them intact – and a young Derek Fisher is already on the team to bring off the bench. The 1999 season produced some very unusual and interesting short-lived lineups that are worth reflecting on in more detail. In the meantime, I’d recommend assembling the 1999 Lakers in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1, and pitting them against other 90s retro teams.
2002 or 2003 Washington Wizards
How about some modifications to the current teams to make new classic squads? If you’d like to play with the 2002 Wizards in NBA 2K14, there are enough players to make it happen. In addition to MJ, Hubert Davis is there via the 1995 Knicks, while Richard Hamilton, Kwame Brown, Brendan Haywood, and Bobby Simmons are all included as part of the current rosters. Alternatively, you could make the 2003 team, replacing Rip with Jerry Stackhouse. Charles Oakley and Jared Jeffries are also in NBA 2K14, so Davis can be dropped without thinning the makeshift lineup too much. Their home court will be inaccurate, but the appropriate Wizards jerseys can be used.
2004 Los Angeles Lakers
One of the retro teams that were added in NBA 2K16, the 2004 Lakers can also be re-created in NBA 2K14. As with other retro Lakers teams around that vintage, Rick Fox will be a noteworthy omission, but the ability to use Karl Malone and Gary Payton alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant is the main attraction here. With Luke Walton, Horace Grant, Derek Fisher, Brian Cook, and Jannero Pargo on hand, it’s a respectably complete lineup. While you’re replacing the current Lakers with the 2004 team, you might want to create an opponent for them. The 2004 Pistons unfortunately aren’t exactly viable, but there’s another team that can offer a year-specific matchup.
2004 Miami Heat
Although most of us wouldn’t think of them as a particularly significant squad from an historical perspective, the 2004 Heat are worth putting together in NBA 2K14 if you’re after some alternative retro teams. On top of it being Dwyane Wade’s rookie year, they had Eddie Jones, Lamar Odom, Tyrone Hill, Caron Butler, and fellow rookie Udonis Haslem. All six of them are included in NBA 2K14, either as active or retro players. If you want an opponent for the 2004 Lakers, they’re a fine candidate as an overachieving underdog. After all, they made it to the second round of the 2004 Playoffs, where they managed to take the 61-win Indiana Pacers to six games.
2005 Phoenix Suns
Those “seven seconds or less” Suns were an ideal video game team, so it’s no surprise that they ended up being among the retro squads in NBA 2K. They can be created in NBA 2K14 too, as the core lineup of Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, and Leandro Barbosa, are all in the rosters. In fact, you don’t even need to break up any of the existing retro teams while replacing the current Phoenix Suns! The Suns did change their branding for the 2014 season, so if you use the makeshift 2005 team at home, their court will be inaccurate. The jerseys from that era are among their retro uniforms however, so you can still make it work.
2005 Chicago Bulls
Since we’re rolling back current teams to 2005, may I also suggest the Baby Bulls? I’m labelling the example as 2005, but the same seven players that are in NBA 2K14 – Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Tyson Chandler, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Jannero Pargo, and Andres Nocioni – also facilitate a makeshift 2006 lineup. The main difference is Eddy Curry, who is absent in NBA 2K14. That doesn’t matter for the 2006 team as he’d moved on to the Knicks, but he should be on the 2005 squad. Of course, he did miss the 2005 Playoffs, so it’s not completely inaccurate! Notably, you’ll have to grab Nocioni from Laboral Kutxa Vitoria, included as one of the EuroLeague teams.
2008 Boston Celtics
Compared to newer games where they are among the selection of classic squads, the 2008 Celtics may not seem particularly “retro” in the era of NBA 2K14. It had been half a decade at that point though, with Rajon Rondo being the last player still on the roster as of the 2014 season. His former teammates are in the game however, so you can reassemble the Boston Three Party with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Kendrick Perkins, James Posey, Tony Allen, Glen Davis, and Sam Cassell are also in NBA 2K14, either on retro teams, current teams, or in the Free Agents Pool. A handful of their opponents can also feasibly be added in place of their 2014 lineups.
2008 Denver Nuggets
Indeed, let’s finish up with another 2008 team: the Denver Nuggets featuring Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. Granted, only six players from that team are available, and one of their regular starters – Anthony Carter – isn’t among them. However, Melo, AI, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Marcus Camby, and J.R. Smith, are all at your disposal. Of course, it’s arguably more fun to play with Smith starting alongside Iverson, even though it didn’t ever happen. They’re not the only team with a makeshift lineup here, and making the most of the assets on hand is the point of miniamlist modding after all. Besides, even with just those six players, they should be a blast to run with.
Needless to say, this isn’t an exhaustive list of alternative retro teams that can be created in the PS4/X1 version of NBA 2K14. Most of the existing retro teams can be rolled back or forward a year or two, and easily stand in as year-specific opponents with minimal or no changes. When replacing current teams, there’s an even wider range of possibilities, especially if you can overlook some inaccurate branding. While great games like NBA 2K14 are fun to revisit and play as-is, they have even more replay value as retro gaming experiences when you tinker with their rosters. Even some minimalist modding can freshen up an old favourite that’s back in the rotation.
