Chris Paul has returned to the Los Angeles Clippers following his departure from the team after the 2016-17 NBA season.
After wrapping up Year 20 with the San Antonio Spurs, many doubted whether they would ever see Chris Paul return to the NBA.
Well, not only is CP3 back, he’ll be playing for the Los Angeles Clippers for the first time since the 2016-17 NBA season. Paul recently addressed the media after signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the team.
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty ImagesChris Paul addresses the popular scuffle with James Harden in 2018
Paul’s arrival in LA also means he will be reunited with James Harden. The two stars shared the locker room on the Houston Rockets for two seasons.
While the CP3-Harden duo enjoyed a great spell together, their final season together ended on a sour note. The two stars engaged in a heated argument during Game 3 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals vs the Golden State Warriors.
James Harden and Chris Paul going at it in Game 3👀
Chris Paul tries to give Harden a fist bump, his response, “F—k the fist bump”. pic.twitter.com/qzJbJzlJcL
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 7, 2018
View Tweet
Fast forward to 2025 and Paul addressed his heated scuffle with the Beard during his first media appearance for the Clippers.
“Yeah, we talked about it and talked about just the history of obviously being there in Houston. And it’s funny, man, cause that clip or whatnot that goes around.
“It was a lot of stuff, funnier and stuff like that than that. That was just sort of our relationship,” Paul told the media.
Paul reiterated that the Rockets were one of the funniest teams he has ever played for in his career.
“But I think that’s what made that team so good, you know, we got on each other in different situations. But that team, I can honestly say, was one of the funniest teams I’ve ever been on in my career. And James is one of those guys who loves to be in the gym all day long,” CP3 added.
Chris Paul announces he and James Harden have ‘unfinished business’
During Paul’s two-year stint in Houston, the Rockets pushed the Warriors to the brink in back-to-back postseasons.
Ultimately, the Dubs advanced, but Paul confirmed that he and Harden intend to finish their ‘unfinished business,’ albeit as members of the Clippers.
“And so, it’s wild that you get this opportunity again after those two years and the success that we had. And we find we definitely know we had unfinished business.
“So, we get a chance to see what’s going on here,” Paul concluded.
Aside from Paul and Harden, the Clippers also have talented players in Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and Ivica Zubac on the roster.
On paper, the roster sounds phenomenal, but it’s still too early to declare the Clippers as flat-out favorites to reach the 2026 NBA Finals, especially in the loaded Western Conference.