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Chris Paul was sent home from the Los Angeles Clippers after a recent road trip, and isn’t expected to play another game for the franchise.
The news of the Los Angeles Clippers dismissing and sending home veteran Chris Paul sent a shockwave through the league, reminding everybody how brutal the NBA can be.
After a week away from the team, Paul has now broken his silence on his brutal departure from the team he spent the most time of his career with, and signed with over the summer, expecting that he would retire as a Clipper.
Speaking with People magazine, a week after being sent home, Paul said he is at peace, despite the surprising roster move for both him and the rest of the league.
“I‘m actually at peace with everything,” Paul told Jordan Green. “More than anything, I’m excited about being around and getting a chance to play a small role in whatever anything looks like next.”
Chris Paul on getting sent home by the Clippers:
“I’m actually at peace with everything.”
(via @people)
Most recently, it was reported that the Clippers will work with the 20-season veteran on finding a new team as a trade partner, in hopes of the point guard winning his first, and likely only, championship.
Chris Paul Breaks Silence On Clippers Departure
Paul was never expected to have a big role in Los Angeles. He is winding down his career and wanted to spend more time with his family. However, reports detailed that the guard was inserting himself into coaching decisions and was outwardly outspoken against the staff, front office, and his teammates.
But now, Paul has been at home, working out with his son in hopes of finding a new NBA home for the rest of the season.
“Stuff’s been a little crazy in the past few days — to say the least,” he said. “But honestly, I’m home. I have never seen my son play a game in person. Not a middle school game, not a high school game. So I’m excited about seeing him play.”
After being surprised by the news that he was being dismissed from the team on a road trip, Paul was asked if he regretted how things went with the Clippers.
“I don’t regret anything,” he added. “I was in Atlanta with a whole bunch of family. It was my last time gonna be playing there. That’s life. The whole thing took on a life of its own, you know? But I’m excited to be back here with my family.”
“To brand yourself as a player’s coach; you’re not showing those tendencies with these patterns that are continuing to happen.”
Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo, John Wall & Boogie Cousins — the players Ty Lue stopped talking to as Clippers head coach form a pretty elite list of NBA
In 16 games in Los Angeles this year, Paul was averaging 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes, all of which were career lows. He isn’t expected to play another game for the Clippers.
Clippers Expected To Find Trade Partner For Chris Paul
While the breakup was messy to say the least, both Paul and the Clippers organization are expected to work together to find him a new team for the rest of the season.
“The Clippers do want to work in tandem with Paul and his CAA representation to find him a new home,” Jake Fischer reported for The Stein Line. “The 40-year-old indicated last week that he is more likely than not to keep playing even if it means leaving Los Angeles and league sources insist that the Clippers, in a nod to Paul’s status as a franchise legend, do want to help him relocate.”
Paul had previously announced that the 2025-26 season would be his last, but closing out his career on the team that he holds the all-time assist total was clearly not in the cards.
There are no indications that his appearance in the game against the Hawks would be his curtain call in the NBA, so the Clippers will likely search around the league to find a team, hopefully for Paul, one in title contention, to take on his $3.6 million contract for the rest of the year.
But if that was the last time he stepped on the court, Paul will end his career as one of the best point guards in league history. He ranks second in total assists and steals, behind John Stockton on both, but just lacks that one elusive NBA Finals win.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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