Damian Lillard: Everyone across NBA 'respects' Kyrie Irving's trade request

Kyrie Irving sent the NBA universe into a frenzy on Friday afternoon when the news broke that he recently requested that the Cleveland Cavaliers trade him to another team.

The questions, and the criticisms, closely followed.

If Irving is ultimately traded away from the team that drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick six years ago, he would be removed from the inevitable shadow that comes with playing alongside LeBron James. Depending on where he lands, Irving has the talent and league-wide popularity to become the face of that franchise — a luxury he hasn't had since James re-signed with the Cavs in July 2014.

Damian Lillard, the face of the Portland Trail Blazers, said Monday that while he would personally love to play with James, he "respects" Irving's decision to request a trade.

"None of us have been in (Irving's) shoes. You've got to respect his mind, respect his heart," Lillard said on Sirius XM NBA radio. "At the end of the day, he's a man, and he's going to follow and do what he wants to do.

"I think everybody across the league respects it. They won a championship. They've had ups and downs like everybody else. But he has his heart set on other things, and you've got to respect that."

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Lillard also weighed in on his recent recruitment of the other player dominating the summer trade talks, Carmelo Anthony, whose most-likely destination still appears to be Houston.

"It was simple. A lot of teams are getting better. We saw an opportunity for us to do the same thing, so it was only right that we checked on it," Lillard said, noting that Anthony didn't "exactly" say that he would waive his no-trade clause for Portland. " ... He was respectful in getting back to me and putting me up to speed with what was going on. I think if there was no interest, maybe there's no response."

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