While most of you were sleeping, the Los Angeles Clippers sent one of the game’s future Hall of Famers home.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, at nearly 3 a.m. ET, the Clippers announced that point guard Chris Paul would not be part of the team moving forward, in a fairly stunning move that has tacked onto Los Angeles’ struggles this season.
The Clippers have started 5-16, which currently ranks them second-to-last in the Western Conference. They have lost five consecutive games and are in the middle of a road trip on the East Coast; the team was in Atlanta Wednesday when the news dropped.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Chris Paul situation with the Los Angeles Clippers:
Why did the Clippers send Chris Paul home?
This is, in simplest terms, a wildly unconventional move.
Though he may have had his detractors across the league, Paul is widely seen as a player with solid stature among the league, a veteran leader with ample experience and tenacity and a probable first-ballot Hall of Famer, once eligible.
Paul also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association, overseeing the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement, in a mostly successful eight-season term from 2013-21.
For a team to unceremoniously send him home in the middle of a road trip may suggest that there was some internal disagreement. To that point, ESPN reported that Paul’s leadership style clashed with Clippers management, specifically coach Tyronn Lue. Per ESPN, Lue and Paul were not on speaking terms for several weeks, and Paul was reportedly vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable. According to ESPN, the team found this to be disruptive.
This is not just any team making this decision; Paul is arguably the best Clipper in franchise history, leading the team in assists (4,076) and analytics metrics such as plus/minus (8.3) and value over replacement (36.6).
The Clippers were in Atlanta, preparing for their game later that night against the Hawks, when news of the move broke. Assuming Paul did not ask for this, the decision borders on being disrespectful, though it’s unclear though it’s unclear how much his leadership style may have chafed against L.A.’s vision.
Granted, the Clippers have to reassess the direction their franchise will take for the remainder of the season. They entered as the oldest team in the league and held expectations to compete for a championship behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
It has fallen apart, and Paul, 40, has looked every bit his age, averaging career lows across most major statistics.
For the Clippers to execute the move, they will have three options.
They can waive him, which would force them to pay his one-year salary of $3.6 million, per Spotrac.com. They could also offer a buyout, to which Paul would need to agree, or they could trade him after Monday, Dec. 15.
A trade, however, might be difficult to execute, given what should be a depressed market for Paul after his slow start to the season.
Chris Paul landing spots
It’s tough to project exactly where Paul might end up, or even if he’s actively seeking to play somewhere else. Paul had announced Saturday, Nov. 22 that this would be his final season in the NBA. Presumably, Paul, who has never won an NBA Finals, would want to join a contender.
His family is also closely tied to the Los Angeles area, so the Lakers could be an option. Paul and LeBron James are close, and the Lakers might be looking to add depth at point guard. The Lakers, however, have subtly shifted away from the influence and sway James holds with the team, indicating they would be building around Luka Dončić.
The Rockets, a team Paul played for from 2017-19, are looking for a point guard after Fred VanVleet tore his anterior cruciate ligament prior to the start of the season. The Celtics are also in need of a veteran point guard.
Retirement, however, might be the most likely scenario.
What has Chris Paul said about the Clippers matter?
In a message that posted early Wednesday, Dec. 3 to his Instagram account, Paul wrote: “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” adding a peace sign emoji.
What have the Clippers said about the Chris Paul matter?
In a statement issued early Wednesday morning, Clippers president Lawrence Frank announced the move, saying the team was not blaming Paul for its record.
‘We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team,’ Frank said. ‘We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”
Chris Paul stats
In his 21st season, Paul is averaging career lows in most major statistics, including points (2.9 per game), assists (3.3), rebounds (1.8), steals (0.7), field goal percentage (32.1%) and minutes (14.3).