Chris Paul’s surprising exit from the Los Angeles Clippers has still left plenty of fans with questions, and the legendary point guard opened up about his experience following his retirement last week.
On Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, Paul explained that he talked to Clippers star Kawhi Leonard frequently. He added that he told head coach Ty Lue and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank before the season that he wanted to retire in Los Angeles, and Frank praised Paul for his leadership.
Perhaps the most perplexing detail Paul revealed was that the coaching staff didn’t want him to give other players advice.
“I believe in communication,” he said. “During training camp, I talked to one of my teammates for a while and then as soon as I went in the meal room, somebody came and told me like, they didn’t want me giving players advice.”
Despite Paul’s standing as one of the best players in Clippers history, the front office and coaching staff didn’t want him around this year and decided to part ways with him. Los Angeles eventually traded him to the Toronto Raptors, who released him.
Paul subsequently announced that he was calling it a career, ending his retirement tour earlier than he had planned.