With a new NBA season on the horizon, I decided it was time to run one final NBA 2K27 simulation.
The goals were simple:
Could Cooper Flagg become an MVP?
Could the Mavs win an NBA championship with their current roster as the core?
And, perhaps most importantly:
How far can this version of the Mavericks actually go?
The rules
No trades.
It’s too easy in fandom to start adding Cade Cunningham or both Thompson twins and run amok across depleted rosters. Instead, I wanted to see how far this core could take us.
Whatever
the front office has built, Cooper has to make it work.
Whatever young players develop, they develop.
Whatever weaknesses show up, we have to live with them.
And if Dallas eventually needs to make a move?
Too bad. I already took the trade machine away.
This isn’t about building the perfect Mavericks team.
It’s about finding out whether the team they actually have can become the perfect version of themselves.
And, well, we know how Year 1 went.
Year 1
Cooper Flagg wins Rookie of the Year.
The rest of the season?
Basically a horror movie.
Moving on.
Year 2
Things get better.
The Mavs win the NBA Cup, with Cooper Flagg taking home Cup MVP honors.
Dallas then beats the Spurs in the playoffs before eventually losing in the Western Conference Finals.
Progress!
One series away.
Ahead of schedule and The Mavs are building something.
Year 3
OK.
This is getting ridiculous.
Cooper Flagg averages 32.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 6 APG and wins MVP, becoming the youngest MVP in NBA history.
And he’s not alone.
Risacher wins both Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.
The Mavs make it all the way to the NBA Finals.
Amazing.
And then they lose to the Detroit Pistons in six games. Maybe we should have traded for Cade Cunningham after all.
Was that the Mavs’ chance?
One series short again?
I hope not.
Let’s keep going.
Year 4
Cooper Flagg makes All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Second Team.
And then…
The Mavs draw a tough matchup and lose in the first round to the Spurs.
Of course they do.
Kyrie retires as a Dallas Maverick, which is sad- but bittersweet.
We draft a new point guard with the Lakers’ pick.
And then we move on.
Year 5
Cooper Flagg has really come into his own at this point.
He’s now a 96 overall in NBA 2K and averages 32 PPG, 10 RPG and 5 APG.
He wins his second MVP.
He also wins Clutch Player of the Year, makes All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team.
Wow.
What a year.
And yet…
It still doesn’t translate into playoff success.
The Mavs lose in the second round to the Timberwolves.
At this point, this is all starting to feel a little too much like 2007 Dallas Mavericks, isn’t it?
The power of Dirk compelled me forward.
Year 6
Year 6 feels almost… ho-hum.
Cooper is once again All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team.
The Mavs enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed.
And honestly?
It feels like organizational-pressure time in 2K.
No more excuses.
Round 1: Portland
Win.
Round 2: Minnesota
Win.
Round 3: San Antonio
Win.
And if you’re paying attention, you know what that means.
We’re exercising some demons from these previous fake playoff runs.
Sound familiar?
Maybe a little 2011-esque?
By the time we reached the Finals, I decided I couldn’t just simulate the entire series at once.
I had to do it game by game.
Game 1: Win.
Game 2: Win.
Game 3: Win.
Are you kidding me?
A sweep?
No.
Surely not.
Game 4: Loss.
Game 5: Loss.
Game 6: Loss.
LET THE NBA 2K CONSPIRACY THEORIES FLY.
What in the David Stern is happening? I’m about to return this digital purchase to Xbox. Maybe it’s been recalled.
And then…
Game 7: Win.
THE MAVS WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP.
Cooper and Sergio are stars in the series.
And yes, Naji, PJ, Gafford, Risacher — they all contributed. We better let Kyrie at the podium.
I’ll also note that Cooper shot 46 percent from three in the Finals. So there it is.
Six years.
Two MVPs for Cooper Flagg.
One NBA championship for The Mavs.
Did I buy a Dallas Mavericks-biased copy of NBA 2K27? I don’t care. Roll the credits.
Play We Are the Champions by Queen. Now we can start the season.
