Sports world is heating up

The biggest event in the world right now is, obviously, the Olympics, which have about 10 more days of competition remaining. There has been a lot of hand-wringing and criticism about how no one is watching and how the stars haven’t lived up to the pre-games hype, but I’ve been watching a lot, as I always do. I have found many of the competition storylines absolutely fascinating. It’s always nice to see a changing of the guard or that upset no one saw coming.

Many have struggled finding the Games on TV because of the time difference between Tokyo and the Bay Area, but if you really want to take a deep dive, download the NBC Sports app to you phone or television. It has the schedule and replays of everything that has been contested so far.

If the Olympics aren’t for you, there is the ongoing storybook season of the San Francisco Giants, who continue to lead the National League West and have shown no signs of fading. Coming into Tuesday’s game, they had beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers in four of the last five meetings.

Just to add to the excitement, the Giants are being linked to all the big names available as the trade deadline approaches Friday. While the Giants have been shopping for players at the equivalent of Ross Dress for Less since Farhan Zaidi took over, this trade period, the organization is browsing through Nordstrom.

I know there are some Oakland A’s fans on the Peninsula and you have plenty for which to root, as well. The A’s made a splash Wednesday when they traded struggling pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo for established outfielder Starling Marte.

The fact the A’s actually swung a fairly significant deal is news in and of itself as they are not exactly known for being buyers at the trade deadline. While they will probably have to catch fire to chase down the American League West-leading Houston Astros, the A’s are definitely in the mix for a playoff spot, making the final two months of the regular season an exciting one for Bay Area baseball fans.

While baseball is in the dog days of summer, the Golden State Warriors will be looking to bolster their roster for the future as they go into tonight’s NBA draft with the Nos. 7 and 14 pick.

Will they package those picks and others on the roster to make a move on a big name? Will they try to trade up in the draft? How will the new editions help the team now and into the future?

All those questions will be answered in the coming days and weeks as NBA teams prepare for the upcoming season that begins in just a couple of months.

And then there is the San Francisco 49ers, who hit the field for the first day of practice Wednesday in what many see as a make-or-break year for both incumbent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the brain trust that is head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

As if the opening of NFL training camp wasn’t exciting enough, the 49ers will have everyone in camp as rookie No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance signed his contract Wednesday morning to let the 49ers’ quarterback battle really begin.

We’ll get six weeks of “Jimmy or Trey” debate, sprinkled in with some Raiders talk and then be ready to kick off the high school and NFL seasons; the stretch run for the baseball playoffs and the beginning of NBA play.

In about six weeks, I will wistfully look back on these lazy days of summer as I plunge into season No. 21 on the Peninsula. But the heat of summer will return soon enough.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: Nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 650-344-5200 ext. 117. Results and statistics can be emailed to: sports@smdailyjournal.com.