The Los Angeles Clippers released Chris Paul early Wednesday morning less than a week after the team played a heartfelt tribute video for the future Hall of Famer.
The decision was reportedly not Paul’s, and not one that was initiated by the 12-time All-Star guard, league sources told The Athletic’s Law Murray.
Clippers Sent Chris Paul Home
Paul posted an Instagram story just before 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday that he had just learned he was being sent home to Los Angeles from Atlanta, where the Clippers are scheduled to play the Hawks on Wednesday.
Clippers basketball president Lawrence Frank issued a statement confirming the decision.
BREAKING: Los Angeles Clippers are sending home future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul in a bizarre severing ties move, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/EgDLXaxdZW
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 3, 2025
The Clippers just played a tribute video for Chris Paul after he announced this will be his final NBA season pic.twitter.com/HiZ245xBrN
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) November 29, 2025
“We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career,” Frank said in the statement.
“Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”
For the Clippers to part ways with Paul, they would have to waive him and pay out his $3.6 million salary, agree to a buyout, or seek to trade him, which they won’t be able to do until Dec. 15.
Paul Plans To Retire After The NBA Season
The Clippers released Paul amid a disappointing 5-16 season. They’ve lost 14 of their past 16 games, including five straight, and the team also lost Bradley Beal to a season-ending hip injury in early November.
While Paul hasn’t addressed the media at all since that post, he did acknowledge a farewell video shown by the Clippers during the first half of Friday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at Intuit Dome.
That video was released a week after Paul announced the 2025-26 campaign would be his final NBA season.
Paul, who turns 41 in May, posted this message on X on Nov. 22: “What a ride…Still so much left…GRATEFUL for this last one!!”
Paul had rejoined the Clippers in late July on a one-year deal. The 11-time All-NBA member had planned to finish his career with the franchise he spent six seasons with from 2011 to 2017.
In fact, Paul is the Clippers’ franchise leader in total assists (4,076) and steals per game (2.1).
According to Basketball Reference, Paul is also the NBA’s active leader in assists (12,552) and steals (2,728) and is second all time in both behind John Stockton, who had 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals.
Nicknamed “the Point God,” Paul has led the league in assists per game five times and in steals per game in six seasons. He also averaged double-digit assists in seven seasons.
Paul had played in 16 games off the bench this season, averaging 2.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 14.3 minutes. He played 15 minutes and had eight points and three assists in his final game with the Clippers during Monday’s 140-123 loss to the Miami Heat.
