Published 02/06/2023, 11:56 PM EST
Kyrie Irving has officially left the Brooklyn Nets after requesting a trade earlier in the week. The eight-time NBA All-Star will flaunt the Dallas Mavericks jersey and share the court with Mavs’ star Luka Doncic. The excitement of watching two stars team up for the first time has consumed the NBA world. However, many are still highly critical of Irving’s move. The Irving saga continues to be the center of attention as Stephen A Smith and former Chicago Bulls star locked heads on live TV.
Stephen A Smith candidly voiced his unhappiness with the trade saga. In true Smith style, he came at Irving with all guns blazing. While noting this, Jay Williams expressed that Smith’s issue with Irving felt personal. Naturally, this didn’t sit well with Smith. He said, “You of all people with all the interest you have got the nerve to say that on national TV and telling me I am getting personal with a player.” He clarified that he didn’t lose sleep over Irving. Further, Smith attacked Williams by asking Williams to state his true feelings about a situation instead of speaking about the interesting angles present. He urged Williams not to defend Irving. While Smith fired shots at Williams, NBA Fans failed to understand how the ex-NBA Star wasn’t getting triggered.
NBA Fans weigh in on the heated debate
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Fans rushed online to comment about the video which was viewed by millions. They stated that the two analysts needed a boxing ring to settle this argument. Some claimed that Williams was too honest for the media – hence he wouldn’t last on Live TV for long. Additionally, they added that Williams refrained from criticizing players and could lose his job because of the same. Many wondered why Williams was passionately defending Irving. Further, fans asked both Williams and Smith to grow up. Here are some of the reactions:
Stephen A Smith on Kyrie Irving
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Stephen A Smith has not shied away from shooting daggers at Irving. As reported by Daily Mail, in a telephonic interview with Malika Andrews, Smith stated that Irving was “idiotic”. He continued to state that the NBA Star’s talent is undeniably supreme, but was a distraction and constantly made the headlines.
Read More: “Blowing Up the Roster”: After Kyrie Irving Move, Mavericks are ‘Not Done’ as Next Major Step Rocks NBA World
Furthermore, Smith spoke about Irving’s history of requesting a trade and moving from team to team. He stated that teams wouldn’t want to invest in Irving on a long-term basis because his loyalties were shaky. Smith claimed that Irving couldn’t be trusted, and the NBA Star reminded the basketball world of the same.
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What is your take on this heated debate between Stephen A Smith and Jay Williams? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.