Cody Bellinger has enough on his plate without worrying about where LeBron James will play next season. The New York Yankees outfielder is celebrating his 31st birthday at the 2026 Home Run Derby, making his first All-Star appearance since 2019. But someone asked him anyway. And his answer was pure, unfiltered Bellinger.
Standing at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia just before Monday night’s Derby, Bellinger was asked which team he’d like to see James land with next. His response was quick and honest.
“To the Warriors, that’s my guess but I don’t know s**t,” Bellinger said, per Fredo Cervantes of The Sporting Tribune.
Fair enough. Bellinger started his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so maybe there’s a faint West Coast bias in there. But he’s not an NBA insider. He’s not Shams Charania. He’s a baseball player guessing like the rest of us.
Still, the Golden State Warriors are one of the teams most heavily linked to James this offseason. The four-time MVP is coming off an eight-year run with the Los Angeles Lakers, and rumors have connected him to the Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. No one knows where he’ll land. Not even Bellinger, apparently.
Bellinger knows a thing or two about free agency drama himself. In January, he ended months of speculation by signing a five-year, $162.5 million deal with the Yankees. That contract locked him in through his prime years and gave New York a fresh bat in the middle of the lineup. He’s hitting .278 with 22 home runs this season, good enough to earn his first All-Star nod in seven years.
And he’s doing it all on the same day he turns 31. Not a bad birthday present, showing up to the Derby as a Yankee and answering questions about the biggest name in basketball.
LeBron’s decision will dominate headlines for weeks. But for one night in Philly, Bellinger got to be the center of attention. He just made it clear he’s not about to pretend he knows something he doesn’t.
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