Warriors Predicted to Miss Out on Former MVP
The Golden State Warriors have been circling names all summer. Al Horford. Jonathan Kuminga trade chatter. Mid-level exception gymnastics. What they haven’t done is make a splash.
Now, at least one analyst doesn’t see Russell Westbrook, a former MVP who could have provided second-unit punch, making his way to Golden State.
Warriors Stay Quiet While Westbrook Linked to Rival
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty ImagesThe Golden State Warriors are unlikely to target Russell Westbrook.
In his predictions for the top 10 remaining free agents, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus projected Westbrook to land with the Sacramento Kings on a two-year minimum deal with a player option.
“The Sacramento Kings stand out as his obvious next home, as they need a point guard to back up Dennis Schröder,” Pincus wrote.
That would mean Westbrook ends up in Northern California — just not with the Warriors. Golden State never seemed aggressive in pursuing him, but the fit was there. He’s embraced bench roles in recent years. He still brings energy and rim pressure. And he would’ve been available at a number the Warriors could manage.
Warriors’ Options Keep Shrinking
The Warriors have been extremely quiet this offseason. Other contenders have reloaded, while Golden State waits on clarity around Kuminga’s future and Horford’s decision. The Horford deal is still expected to get done, but until then, the Warriors’ cap sheet remains murky.
Westbrook, meanwhile, just wrapped up a season with the Denver Nuggets where he averaged 13.3 points and 6.1 assists in 28 minutes per game. He started 36 of his 75 appearances, shot 45 percent from the field, and hit 32 percent of his threes on nearly four attempts a night.
He wasn’t peak MVP Russ. But he was still a difference-maker — especially when asked to push the pace and energize second units. For a Warriors team that lacked downhill guards behind Stephen Curry, Westbrook’s burst could’ve been useful.
What It Means for Golden State
If Pincus is right and the former MVP does land in Sacramento, the Warriors won’t just miss out on a useful veteran. They’ll have to watch a divisional rival get stronger in the exact role Golden State needed help in.
It’s another reminder that the Warriors are playing the waiting game this summer. They need resolution on Horford. They need clarity on Kuminga. And above all, they need a move that signals they’re serious about climbing back into contention.
Still, it seems more likely Golden State’s front office is focused on other available free agents they’ve been more heavily linked to — names like De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry, or Malcolm Brogdon. Those are the kinds of players who fit their cap situation, their rotation needs, and their push to give Curry more reliable help.
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Top MLB Free Agent After 2025 Season
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman
The Los Angeles Dodgers have notoriously been one of the top spenders in MLB for several years now. They showed that at the beginning of 2025, they signed many top free agents to improve their roster.
However, that has not led them to become the juggernaut team many analysts and executives thought they would be. Los Angeles is 79-64 and will likely not reach the 90-win mark with just 20 games left this regular season.
Whatever the Dodgers do in the postseason, one MLB Insider believes they will sign the top free agent after 2025.
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Kyle Tucker
The Chicago Cubs’ slugger is having a rough last two months of the season, but is still considered the top free agent.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale believes it will be to the Los Angeles Dodgers:
“Rival executives still believe he’ll be the highest-paid player in free agency,” Bob Nightengale reported Monday. “Their prediction where he’ll land? The Dodgers, who badly could use outfield help.”
The Dodgers could use outfield help, but signing Tucker to say, $400 million would put them far over the luxury tax. But it would address a much-needed positional issue. Los Angeles signed Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal before the season, and he has looked like a massive bust the entire season.
Conforto still isn’t above the .200 average mark, despite playing in 124 games. His OPS is 77, well below league average. The Dodgers also traded for left fielder Alex Call back in July, and he hasn’t had much production either. Signing Kyle Tucker in free agency is right up the Dodgers’ wheelhouse.
Although Tucker has struggled for the past few months, he’s still had a solid season. Kyle Tucker still has 22 home runs and an OPS+ of 140.
Kyle Tucker Has So Many Accolades As a Player
Bleacher Report recently came out with a prediction piece about Kyle Tucker’s free agency, and it showed how tenured he is as a player:
“After all, Tucker’s resume includes a World Series title, four All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. He led the league in RBI in 2023 when he was with the Houston Astros and has hit more than 20 home runs in each of the last five seasons. While he hasn’t been himself since the All-Star break with a .242 batting average, five home runs and 17 RBI, some of that can be explained by injury concerns. And he still has solid overall numbers this season with a .270/.381/.472 slash line, 22 home runs and 73 RBI. Tucker is also just 28 years old, which is another reason he will surely command a significant deal this offseason.”
The next question is how much the Dodgers would pay him, and that will be up to Tucker’s agent.
Fans of other MLB teams would not be happy with the Dodgers making a big-money signing like this, but it would put a lot of pressure on the Cubs to attempt to dish out a higher AAV contract. Tucker’s free agency will be one of the highest-anticipated events this offseason.
