Dallas Mavericks forward Wes Matthews has been included in multiple trade rumors this season, particularly as a  potential trade partner surrounding disgruntled guard Dennis Smith Jr.

However, Matthews doesn't let the speculation affect him. He told DallasNews.com's Brad Townsend that he understands the nature of the NBA as a business, and he doesn't want people to feel bad about what's happening with him and his career.

“It's the nature of this business. We understand that. I'm 10 years into this. I definitely understand that my name's been swirling around for eight years. It's never going to make a difference. I don't care.

I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me. No one's supposed to feel sorry for me. I didn't get into this business with people feeling sorry for me. No one felt sorry for me when I wasn't drafted. No one felt sorry for me when I tore my Achilles.

It's the game. It's life. It's bigger than basketball. It's livelihoods, and people have families to tend for and to worry about and to focus on. This game is great and everything but it's not the whole world. There's bigger things than trade rumors and hater fans and all that [expletive]. That's never going to affect me.”

Matthews' dedication to focusing on the game was evident when he traveled with the Mavericks to Milwaukee, where they will be facing the Bucks on Monday. He still intends to play in the game despite a minor wrist injury. Matthews will continue to play even if the team and the fans undervalue his importance to the Mavericks.

“Sometimes we don't get looked at as, necessarily, people who have lives and stuff that we care about. But you know how the game is. It's like gambling. People don't even realize it's real money because it's chips, until it's gone. Then it's out of your bank account.”