NBA Swing: The Sudden Silence as Clippers Cut Chris Paul's Farewell Tour Short

Read Time:3 Minute, 18 Second

Just a week after announcing his intention to retire at the end of the 2025-26 season, veteran point guard Chris Paul found his farewell tour abruptly halted. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Paul announced via social media that he had been sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers, the team with whom he arguably had his most successful years. The move has drawn widespread criticism from the sports world, ranging from astonishment to accusations of mistreatment of past franchise stars.

The Clippers, currently struggling with a 6-16 start as of December 3, 2025, will reportedly work with Paul regarding his future. While reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania suggest the organization viewed Paul’s accountability measures toward players, coaches, and management as “disruptive,” nothing has been officially confirmed. Clippers President Lawrence Frank publicly addressed the situation, stating Paul “wasn’t a fit with the team” during his second stint but denied that the organization was scapegoating Paul for the team’s dismal performance. Coach Tyronn Lue, who was reportedly not on speaking terms with Paul, offered a brutal assessment: “It just didn’t work out like we thought it would. I don’t like it for CP, but it wasn’t a good fit. We understood that.”

The Legacy of “Point God”

Over his illustrious 21-season career, Paul, a 12-time All-Star, played for seven different teams:

New Orleans Hornets (2005-2011): Drafted 4th overall, Paul averaged $18.7$ PPG, $9.9$ APG, and $4.6$ RPG, leading the team to three playoff appearances.
LA Clippers (First Stint, 2011-2017): As the leader of the “Lob City” Clippers alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, Paul arguably had his best years, averaging $18.8$ PPG, $9.8$ APG, and $4.2$ RPG and making the playoffs every season before being traded after failing to reach the Western Conference Finals.

His subsequent stops included two seasons with the Houston Rockets (reaching his first Western Conference Finals), a year with the Oklahoma City Thunder (mentoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), three seasons with the Phoenix Suns (reaching his only NBA Finals), and brief stints with the Washington Wizards and Golden State Warriors, before returning to the Clippers for the ill-fated 2025-26 season.

In 16 games with the Clippers this season, the 40-year-old guard averaged career lows of $2.9$ PPG, $3.3$ APG, and $1.8$ RPG, recording multiple DNP-CDs.

What’s Next for the Future Hall of Famer?

Paul’s immediate future remains uncertain. Holding only a one-year guaranteed deal worth $3.6 million, the Clippers have the option to waive him or pay him to stay home until the contract expires.

Trade interest for the veteran is reportedly minimal, but a few speculative options remain:

Los Angeles Lakers: A potential trade could reunite Paul with long-time friend LeBron James and allow him to stay in Los Angeles with his family, though the Lakers cannot sign him as a free agent until January.
Houston Rockets: A trade could send Paul back to Houston, a team still looking for a veteran guard presence.
Oklahoma City Thunder: While the favored championship contender does not need Paul, the strong relationship with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could offer Paul a chance to end his career with the championship that has eluded him for over two decades.

If this unceremonious exit marks the end of Paul’s playing days, he will retire as one of the best point guards in history to never win a title. His career accomplishments include $23,058$ career points (41st all-time), $12,552$ assists (2nd all-time), and $2,728$ steals (2nd all-time). He is a five-time assist champion, six-time steals champion, nine-time All-Defense selection, 11-time All-NBA selection, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The irony remains that the team most likely to retire his jersey has just sent him home in the middle of his final season.