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Following the monster trade that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat stated his opinion clearly.
He didn’t seem too happy about this team missing a chance to land Lillard and even suggested the NBA investigate the Bucks for tampering.
No one has offered any definitive proof of Milwaukee tampering to make this deal happen but Stephen A. Smith doesn’t blame Butler for being upset.
“I don’t blame him. If he’s a bit salty, he should be,” he said on “The Stephen A. Smith Show.”
Smith said the obvious: Lillard in Miami would have greatly helped the Heat make it back to the NBA Finals.
In fact, he could have been the boost the team needed to win another championship.
He took issue with the fact that Lillard stayed loyal to the Portland Trail Blazers for so long but his loyalty didn’t lead to him being traded to his dream destination.
But Smith admits that the NBA is a business and the Blazers did what they felt was best for them and their long-term future.
However, this move really did hurt the Heat in a huge way.
Not only did they miss out on Lillard, but they also saw him go to one of their biggest rivals in the East.
And this comes just weeks after another rival, the Boston Celtics, seemingly got better with the addition of Kristaps Porzingis.
All of this put together means the Heat had a very bad offseason.
There might not be any proof of the Bucks tampering to acquire Lillard but Butler has every right to have his feelings hurt.
The post Stephen A. Smith Reacts To Jimmy Butler’s Tampering Claims appeared first on The Cold Wire.
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