The Kyrie Irving trade makes the ‘NBA 2K18’ cover situation awkward

NBA 2K18 covers will reflect the Kyrie Irving trade

By Steven Petite Updated August 24, 2017

nba 2k18 cover star kyrie irving traded — Image used with permission by copyright holder

In a move poised to shake up the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded point guard Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics for an impressive package built around point guard Isaiah Thomas. It’s perhaps the biggest NBA story this offseason, but in the world of NBA 2K18, Irving’s departure is more than a bit awkward considering that he is the game’s cover star.

Irving was revealed as the cover athlete in early June, right before the Cavs were gearing up for a third straight NBA Finals appearance against the Golden State Warriors. His rise to the cover made sense. He’s a four-time NBA All-Star through just six seasons of play, and he made one of the most iconic shots in NBA Finals history in 2016 to help seal the Cavs’ first championship.

Recommended Videos

Sadly for Cavs fans, Irving formally requested a trade in a meeting with team owner Dan Gilbert on July 7. After more than a month of exploring the market, Gilbert did the inevitable, pulling the trigger on a trade to send Irving to the Cavs’ biggest conference rival.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

2K Games initially went with a lighthearted approach on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/NBA2K/status/900141690119258112

The NBA 2K series has been increasingly dedicated to authenticity as the series has evolved. An inaccurate cover certainly isn’t ideal. In a statement to Game Informer, senior vice president of basketball operations Jason Argent said, “Fans should be thrilled to know that we will issue a version of 2K18 featuring Kyrie in a Boston Celtics uniform at a later date.”

As we thought when we originally reported the situation, modifying the cover this close to the game’s September 19 launch would be a daunting task. Judging by the statement, if you pick up 2K18 at or around launch, Kyrie will be in his old Cavs uniform on the cover. While a timeline wasn’t given, it appears that subsequent printings of the game will be corrected.

Not all NBA 2K18 covers will be inaccurate at launch, though. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal appears on the Legend and Legend Gold editions, and Toronto Raptors star DeMar DeRozan is on the Canadian cover.

We’ve talked about the Madden Curse extensively, but could there be an NBA 2K curse? Unlike the Madden curse, which has had its cover stars see drops in performance or season-altering injuries, the NBA 2K curse involves players switching jerseys.

NBA 2K14 cover star LeBron James left the Miami Heat to rejoin his hometown Cavs after the 2014 season. NBA 2K15 cover star Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors after the 2015 season. And NBA 2K17 cover star Paul George, after declaring his intentions to leave the Indiana Pacers at the end of his contract, was flipped to the Thunder earlier this summer.

The difference with Irving is that his jersey swap occurred before his cover athlete year began. It’s an awkward situation all around.

Updated: Added information about 2K Games updating the cover to reflect the Kyrie Irving trade.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…

Gaming

The best dunkers in NBA 2K22

Zach Lavine in NBA 2K22.

Is there anything more exciting in basketball than a high-flying dunk? A solid dunk is just as wild in NBA 2K22 -- an energetic slam can embarrass your opponent, rev up the crowd, and turn the tide of a game if your team uses it as fuel. Most players in NBA 2K22 can dunk here and there, but you're going to want to check out the best dunkers in the game at some point.

Whether you're building a team of ultimate athletes in MyLeague or just want to throw down on a friend in PlayNow, these are the best dunkers in NBA 2K22 that you'll want to play with.

Gaming

How to turn off commentary in NBA 2K22

Joel Embiid of the 76ers in NBA 2K22.

Commentary is one of those features that bring NBA 2K22 to life. The game features real-life commentators like TNT’s Kevin Harlan and NBA TV’s Greg Anthony, among others, who share interesting facts about players on the court, react to gameplay, and sometimes have strategy suggestions that you could use to improve your play. It makes your on-court antics seem all the more real.

That being said, the commentary and get old quickly, especially if you're playing with the same roster frequently. You don't have to play long before you hear the same reaction to a dagger 3-point shot a few times or hear the story about superstar Kevin Durant skipping dances in high school to play basketball. It's all interesting -- but the devs at 2K obviously can't record enough lines to not have a bit of repetition.

Gaming

The best teams in NBA 2K22

Giannis Antetokounmpo in NBA2K22.

Hitting the court with your favorite team in NBA 2K22 is what the iconic basketball sim is all about. There's nothing like controlling your hometown heroes as they hit the hardwood. But your go-to team might not be the most fun to play with if they're at the bottom of the league like the Detroit Pistons or Houston Rockets. We're not saying you should abandon your favorites -- just give some of the best teams in NBA 2K22 a run here or there.

These are the top-rated teams in NBA 2K22 divided up by conference. Is your favorite team on the list? Will these teams live up to their launch-day rating as the season gets going? Let's take a look at the best teams in NBA 2K22 right now.