"But 2026? Oh, 2026 is special. It's a calendar year stuffed with so much narrative weight it's threatening to create a new fault line. It's the year of last chances and new eras. And star power: Boy, do we have it. Here is what you, the beleaguered, overcharged Bay Area sports fan, have to look forward to. The winter of our discontent The 49ers' annual January ulcer The 49ers are in the playoffs."
"That is the day Jonathan Kuminga's trade restrictions lift, and he can finally be sent to a team that will let him dribble and shoot 25 times a game without Steve Kerr grimacing on the sideline. The Warriors have been holding onto Kuminga's potential like a cryptocurrency wallet they lost the password to. On the 15th, the password will be found, and the transaction will be imminent. It's not a trade; it's a mercy killing of a timeline that never was."
"The Super Bowl returns to Levi's Stadium. Get ready for two weeks of national media complaining about the lack of shade in a game played at night, and the fact that San Francisco is actually a 45-minute drive from the stadium (on a good day, which this won't be). It's the biggest party in the world for a bunch of people you'd never invite to a party, hosted in a corporate office park."
2026 contains several decisive Bay Area sports moments and potential turning points. The San Francisco 49ers are in the playoffs, prompting renewed national scrutiny of the head coach and quarterback and intensifying fan anxiety. Jonathan Kuminga's trade restrictions expire on Jan. 15, making him eligible to join a team that will increase his offensive usage after limited opportunities with the Warriors. The Warriors have been criticized for underusing Kuminga and may move him once restrictions lift. Super Bowl LX will be held at Levi's Stadium, drawing national media attention and logistical complaints about location and stadium conditions.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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