Chris Paul Urges Spurs Teammates to Ignore Trade Deadline Noise

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — As the NBA trade deadline looms, San Antonio Spurs veteran Chris Paul is urging his younger teammates to tune out the noise and focus on their game. The 20-year NBA veteran, who has been traded six times, shared his wisdom amid swirling rumors that the Spurs are eyeing Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox.

“Trades, trade deadlines always get tricky,” Paul said after the Spurs’ 128-116 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. “I know enough GMs, coaches. A lot of them were my teammates and friends. Things can change. One minute, they’re not trying (to make a deal), and then they are. I’ve heard it all, trust me. So, control what you can control. Show up, do your job. And hopefully, people deal with you respectfully. That’s all you can hope for.”

Acting coach Mitch Johnson echoed Paul’s sentiments, expressing concern about how trade speculation might affect the team’s younger players. “Social media has gotten to a point now where if you want to find it, you can go look for it,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of opinions on how we play every game, what you wear to the game, what shots you took, what comment you said. Hopefully, it’s just something where guys don’t need to look for that stuff.”

The Spurs, currently 12th in the Western Conference, are reportedly exploring moves to bolster their roster. Fox, a high-profile target, has been the subject of intense speculation. Paul, who has played for seven teams, emphasized the importance of staying focused. “Just keep playing, and understand that a pair of lips can say anything,” he advised. “People will be, ‘sources say, sources said’—we’ve got coaches and GMs at the gym every day. Ask. If it concerns you that much, ask, and hopefully, they will be honest or straight up with you.”

With the trade deadline set for 3 p.m. ET next Thursday, the Spurs and other teams across the league are scrambling to make moves that could reshape their seasons. For now, Paul and Johnson are focused on keeping the team grounded amid the uncertainty.