Last week, the NBA world woke up to an Instagram story that immediately got checked to see if was AI-generated: 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul posted saying, “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home.” The issue was, the version of ‘home’ Paul imagined was not the one the Clippers were offering.
The “Point God” signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers while announcing he’d be retiring after 21 years of NBA service. Paul, an 11-time All-NBA guard, had some of his most memorable moments with the “Lob City” Clippers from 2011-2017. The 2025 version of the Clippers, with a new owner, new arena and playoff aspirations, should have been a great place for a retirement tour.
It all came crashing down in Atlanta, following a game in which Paul didn’t play the entire fourth quarter. Paul and Clipper management met for three-and-a-half hours, reportedly discussing Paul’s future role with the team. The result was the aforementioned post, and a corresponding notice from the team confirming that the attempt to spin the block with Paul had run out of gas.
When Paul rejoined the Clippers in July 2025, all parties were on board … initially.
Clippers’ President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank released a statement saying, “Chris is one of the most impactful players ever to wear a Clippers uniform, and it’s appropriate that he returns to the team for this chapter of his career. Chris will help fortify our backcourt with his exceptional ball-handling, playmaking and shooting. He is joining us as a reserve point guard and is excited to fill whatever role T Lue asks him to play. He wants to be part of the group, and we’re fortunate to have him back.”
Paul told reporters that summer, “I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,” adding, “I didn’t even care what the team looked like, I just wanted to be home, be here with the Clippers.”
Yes, CP3 wanted to finish his career in Los Angeles, but the version of the Clippers he once knew no longer existed. The Clippers got off to a horrendous start, losing 16 of their first 21. Paul clashed with Clipper leadership, as he and head coach Ty Lue reportedly were not on speaking terms.
After Paul’s release, Lue said, “I just think it wasn’t a good fit for what he was looking for,” Lue said. “It is what it is. Do I want to see CP go out like this? No. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been a friend of mine over the years. You never wanna see a great go out like this.”
It was easy to envision Paul playing out his last season and moving into a front office role with the organization. His famous leadership style, pointed and direct, suggests a potential future in the front office or sideline. It seems that Paul couldn’t separate the two. The Los Angeles Times reported Paul was not only highly critical of players – nothing new for the vocal guard – but also coaches and Frank.
Upon Paul’s release, Frank released a statement which said, in part: “We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be with the team. 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.”
Paul signed to be a reserve player and receive his flowers from an organization he helped bring to respectability. During Paul’s first stint with The Cippers the team in 2014 — owned at the time by Donald Sterling — was one of the most poorly run organizations in professional sports. One of Paul’s crowning NBA achievements is the role he played as the face of the Clippers as brand-new commissioner Adam Silver removed Sterling from ownership after racist voicemails leaked to the public.
Today, CP3 is clearly not the player he once was. But after playing all 82 games last year, he felt he had more to give a team. The Clippers, however decided otherwise. It could have been simply a roster decision to get younger, but as reported by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, Harden was initially wary of adding Paul to his team this offseason despite saying all the right things publicly.
In a Dec 3rd press conference, Frank disputed reports Paul had been “disruptive.“ Frank said, “Chris has a very good leadership style. He’s led a lot of teams. And he’s led a lot of teams as being one of the best players, if not the best player on the team.” He continued, “The role — some moves you make; you have great intentions. And some work and some don’t. And I own that. And this one just didn’t work at this time.”
Back in NC!!! What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!
pic.twitter.com/1ZaJSqsWRD
— Chris Paul (@CP3) November 22, 2025
Professional sports are not Disney movies – the athletes don’t get to write the endings. CP3’s legacy will be remembered positively, despite never winning a championship and his grating nature. A member of the NBA Top 75 team, Paul will likely have a job in the NBA world should he want one. But Lue was right, you never want to see a great go out like this. Unfortunately for Chris Paul, it looks like the closing credits are rolling soon.