At the outset of the 2017 calendar year, it would have been impossible to predict the twists and turns that took place within the Bay Area’s sports landscape.
A last-place finish for the Giants, a Jimmy Garoppolo trade for the 49ers, and a Finals MVP performance from Kevin Durant were just a few of the stories that dominated the region last year, and there’s no telling what key figures emerge in 2018. As the year begins, we’ve created a list of the most intriguing narratives to keep an eye on over the next 12 months.
1. How far will Jimmy Garoppolo lead the 49ers?
After the 49ers finished the regular season with five straight victories, all signs point to a bright future for Garoppolo and San Francisco. The 49ers scored at least 25 points in each of their final four games, and Garoppolo led the 49ers’ offense to a 44-point showing against Jacksonville before pounding the Los Angeles Rams for 34 points. If John Lynch surrounds Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan, one of the NFL’s best play-callers, with enough weapons, the 49ers could be playing deep into January next season.
2. Who else will the Giants add this offseason?
After trading for Evan Longoria in mid-December, general manager Bobby Evans is determined to add a center fielder and a corner outfielder with pop to the Giants’ lineup before the start of the regular season. San Francisco could pursue trade opportunities for young, controllable players like Boston’s Jackie Bradley, Jr. or Miami’s Christian Yelich, or Evans could hit the free agent market and target a player like Jay Bruce.
3. Can the Warriors repeat as NBA Champions?
All signs point to another NBA Finals appearance for the defending champs, but first, Golden State will have to power through a Western Conference with challengers like the Rockets, Spurs and Thunder. After beginning the 2017-2018 season as the biggest title favorites in North American sports history, anything less than a third championship in four seasons will feel like a disappointment for the Warriors.
4. Can the Raiders close a deal with Jon Gruden, and if so, how much of an impact will he make?
After firing Jack Del Rio on the final day of the regular season, the Raiders are reportedly planning to name Jon Gruden their head coach next week. Gruden has long been considered one of the hottest candidates on the market, but hasn’t been tempted to leave his job as an ESPN analyst in recent years. If Gruden accepts the Raiders’ job, he’ll be coaching for the first time since 2008 while leading a franchise bogged down by leadership issues. Is he capable of jumping right back into the NFL and making an immediate impact?
5. What happens with Colin Kaepernick’s collusion lawsuit?
Though it’s impossible to know at this point how strong Kaepernick’s case against the NFL really is, collusion is difficult to prove and it’s unlikely the former 49ers’ quarterback will win. However, it’s entirely possible certain owners and executives will be exposed during the process, which could dramatically impact the NFL landscape and trigger a shakeup in leadership either at the team level or the league level. There’s no telling how this plays out, but it’s hard to imagine the NFL walking away completely unscathed from Kaepernick’s lawsuit.
6. Who do the 49ers sign in free agency, and who do they select in the NFL Draft?
The 49ers’ offense needs more weapons at the skill positions, but San Francisco still has plenty of issues along the offensive line and in the secondary to address as well. No team enters the offseason with more cap space than the 49ers, which is important considering San Francisco should be high on every free agent’s list of potential destinations. After a strong first draft last April, Lynch needs a repeat performance and must find at least one or two starter-caliber players who are ready to contribute immediately.
7. Will Madison Bumgarner’s name be seriously discussed in trade talks?
If the Giants struggle out of the gates, opposing teams will undoubtedly make calls on Bumgarner, who’s still just 28 years old and won’t hit the free agent market until after the 2019 regular season. San Francisco wouldn’t consider shipping Bumgarner out under ordinary circumstances, but if the Giants’ veterans struggle and a rebuild becomes necessary, no player will be more valuable on the trade market than the team’s left-handed ace.
8. Can the A’s finally take a step forward?
It’s 2050, the A’s are still looking for a new stadium, and Billy Beane is determined to rebuild the franchise from the ground up. Okay, the process shouldn’t take that long, but it feels as if the A’s have been stagnant for the better part of a decade. Last season, though, the A’s found several promising young hitters like first baseman Matt Olson and third baseman Matt Chapman, and Oakland has a handful of prospects the organization is excited about. Will that be enough to make the A’s a contender with the defending World Series winners, the Houston Astros, and the rising Los Angeles Angels? Time will tell.
9. Will Derek Carr bounce back?
After lighting the world on fire in 2016, Carr suffered through a significant regression in 2017 as the Raiders ranked among the NFL’s most underwhelming teams. Oakland signed Carr to a $125 million contract last summer, but after Garoppolo caught fire in December, there’s a legitimate debate over which Bay Area quarterback is best equipped to lead a team into the future. Will a new offensive coordinator fix Carr’s issues? Could an offseason of recovery and a clean bill of health turn the trick? If Carr doesn’t turn the corner this year, the Raiders have a major problem on their hands.
10. Will Kevin Durant win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award?
Durant has always been known as one of the league’s most dynamic scorers, but this season, he’s emerged as a serious candidate to supplant Draymond Green as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. After shutting down LeBron James twice in the final 90 seconds on Christmas Day, a national audience began to take note of one of the Bay Area’s best kept secrets. Durant started the season determined to protect the rim, and no player in the NBA is as lethal of a defender as the Warriors’ 7-foot small forward is these days.
