NBA GM SIMULATOR
RUN A REAL FRANCHISE
A GM game with the real books
Pick any of the 30 franchises and you inherit everything: the real roster, the real contracts, the dead weight and the young core. The cap sheet uses the official 2026-27 numbers, a $164.96M cap, a $200.43M tax line, and aprons at $209.02M and $221.69M, so a contender over the second apron can't take back more salary than it sends out, and a team with space can absorb a contract outright.
Trades work like a real front office. Put players and future first-round picks on the table, and the other GM judges the deal by talent, age, contract value and their own timeline: rebuilding teams want youth and picks, contenders want help now. If they say no, they name the cheapest player or pick that would change their mind. A deal that goes through hits as a breaking bulletin. Every proposal gets a verdict and a grade for both sides.
Then you play it out. Every one of your 82 games is simulated possession by possession with the rotation you set, the rest of the league plays around you, and the playoffs come down to real series. Each stretch stops twice so you can coach it: a game from the schedule, then the marquee night. In the offseason you run the 3-2-1 lottery, draft (the 2027 class is the real one), re-sign your own players, and bid in free agency against 29 other teams.
Your owner sets a goal every season and watches the bottom line. Hit the goals and you build a dynasty. Miss them and you're looking for work. After ten seasons you get a legacy grade.
FAQ
What is the NBA GM Simulator?
A free general manager game. You take over a real NBA franchise with its real roster and contracts and run it for up to ten seasons: set the rotation, make trades with players and draft picks, draft in the lottery, re-sign your players and bid in free agency, while every one of your games is simulated possession by possession.
Are the contracts and salary cap real?
The game uses the official 2026-27 numbers: a $164.96 million salary cap, a $200.43 million luxury tax line and aprons at $209.02 million and $221.69 million. Contracts are the reported deals for each player where available and rookie-scale deals for recent first-round picks; the rest are clearly labeled estimates.
How do trades work?
Pick a trade partner, choose players and future first-round picks from both sides, and the game checks salary matching and the apron rules, then tells you whether the other front office accepts and who won the deal. If they say no, they name the cheapest player or pick that would change their mind. A deal that goes through hits as a breaking bulletin. Rebuilding teams value youth and picks; contenders want help now.
Can I get fired?
Yes. Your owner sets a goal each season that fits your team, like making the playoffs or reaching the conference finals, and watches the books. Miss goals and lose money and your job security drops. At zero, you are fired. Winning buys patience: a deep playoff run softens a big tax bill, and every title banks goodwill that protects you later.
Which games do I coach?
Each season is three stretches, and every game is simulated. Each stretch stops twice so you can coach it live: one game from the schedule, and the marquee night, which is your rival if you play them and otherwise the toughest opponent. After the third quarter you call the fourth, and a close game stops for the last possession. From the result, or from a live game in the stretch report, you can open that matchup in the game simulator. It plays a new game with the public rosters.
Can I buy a player out?
Yes. On the roster you can offer to keep paying 25, 50 or 75 percent of his salary as dead money and clear the spot. Players buried on the bench are much more likely to take it than starters. You can also sign up to three two-way players, who do not count on the 15-man roster or against the cap, and call one up to a two-year minimum.
Is the NBA GM Simulator free?
Yes. It is free, runs in your browser, needs no sign-up and saves your franchise automatically. It is an independent fan game and is not affiliated with the NBA.