The Final Hoops Chapter: Chris Paul’s Second Clippers Run Ends
3 December 2025
Background and Context
Chris Paul’s second run with the Los Angeles Clippers has reached its end after the club decided to move on, a decision that comes amid ongoing chatter in basketball circles about tension between Paul and his coach following a season of uneven results in the NBA. The veteran guard’s return to the Clippers last summer was marked by expectations of stability, health, and another deep run, yet the season’s hardship rewrote the script.
Departure and Aftermath
The 40-year-old posted on social media that he had learned he was sent home, revealing he left teammates in Atlanta as they prepared to host the Hawks. The remark underscored a sense of unsettled finality amid a difficult stretch.
Clippers president Lawrence Frank confirmed Paul’s departure in a statement, saying the club is parting ways with him and that it will work with him toward the next step in his career. The organization indicated the decision came after a single season with the club.
It has been suggested that Paul had been contemplating retirement at the end of the current season, hoping to replicate the formula of his earlier Clippers run when he led the team to the playoffs in six seasons but never beyond the conference semifinals. That past success made this exit feel even more abrupt.
The Clippers currently sit near the bottom of the Western Conference, with five wins against sixteen losses.
In a Wednesday statement, Frank said Paul should not bear blame for the slow start. Paul is a Clippers legend with a storied career, and Frank stated that no one blames him for the underperformance; he takes responsibility for the current record and cited several reasons behind the struggles.
ESPN reported that Paul’s exit was the result of tension with coach Ty Lue, citing an unnamed source who said the two had not spoken for weeks.
Punchline 1: If defense is a recipe, this season served up a lot of mashed potatoes—soft on the rim and heavy on the drama.
Punchline 2: Chris Paul may be changing teams, but apparently the group chat on the Clippers side still hasn’t learned to pass the mic without stealing the spotlight from the scoreboard.
