Brett Dawson: Donovan Mitchell had soreness in his foot and got an x-ray, Quin Snyder says. Looked like he was hurting, so they took him out, confirmed he was OK, then put him back in. "Everything that we know, he's fine" for Game 2.
In Chicago, I’m told that the Bulls have opened up extension conversations with their starting center Nikola Vucevic. Sources tell me there is mutual interest in getting a deal done. Both sides have until June 30 to get an extension done. If there is no agreement by that point, Vučević would enter free agency and be one of the top centers available on the market. Vučević had the third-most double-doubles in the NBA this year (51), averaging 17.6 points and 11.0 rebounds with a 52.0 field goal percentage at a usage rate of 21.4.
My read on the situation is that the Lakers would prefer to use D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade, but I’m not sure the market is there. Landing Kyrie Irving for Russell is shaping up to be a pipe dream, especially with Dallas unlikely to help Los Angeles out. Fred VanVleet, a Klutch client, looms as a possibility, but adding him would require Toronto to agree to terms with Russell (or take on the Beasley and Bamba contracts). Where, exactly, is the free-agency and trade market for Russell? I just don’t see it.