"Shut the hell up": Stephen A. Smith was fuming after seeing the backlash Damian Lillard has faced since trade request

It has been some time since Damian Lillard made his request to be traded to the Miami Heat during this offseason. While some fans of the Portland Trail Blazers were unhappy with the idea of their franchise star being traded, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith justified Lillard's demand, emphasizing that he has earned the right to seek a new opportunity with another team.

"Well, hopefully South Beach." Smith said when asked about which team Lillard should play for the following season. "Let's get that out the way right now.

"I respectfully want to submit to folks in the industry who have been critical of Damian Lillard – shut the hell up. This man is 33 years old, he averaged 32 on the season, he gave them 11 years of his career, he could've easily demanded trades on numerous occasions and did not.

"People acting like Damian Lillard is doing something wrong by literally telling you where he wants to go. It is not a crime, he has earned that right."

As of now, there hasn't been any significant development regarding Lillard's trade request. The Blazers have been selective with the offers they have received from the Heat and have made it clear that they want an All-Star or a player with star potential in return for Lillard.

The seven-time All-Star averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists for Portland last season, including a legendary 71-point performance against the Houston Rockets.

You might also be interested in reading this: Matt Barnes believes it's payback time for Blazers on Damian Lillard situation: "Loyalty doesn't lie in professional sports"

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NBA legend defends Damian Lillard's trade request to the Heat

Miami Heat v Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard's decision to take his talents to a different team has been criticized. Fellow NBA players like Austin Rivers talked about Lillard's trade request being a bad part of the league. Luckily for Dame, Gary Payton was ready to step up and defend the seven-time All-Star's demands.

"Everybody should chase a championship," Payton said. "Why are we playing basketball? That is the whole object of playing basketball. If you want to go somewhere else if you’ve got a chance to win a championship, go there. And that’s what I saw when I came to Miami. So I came here, look what happened."

Payton was one of the few veteran players the Heat acquired when they won their first title. The nine-time All-Star knows the organization well and understands why Lillard has asked for a trade to Miami.