Why was Chris Paul released? Clippers unceremoniously waive CP3 during final NBA season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Clippers surprised the NBA by releasing future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul early Wednesday morning, less than two weeks after Paul confirmed he was playing his final season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt quickly became clear that the decision was not mutual. Paul wrote on Instagram, "Just found out I'm being sent home," while Paul's brother wrote, "These ppl are crazy!!!"
The Clippers confirmed the news shortly after Paul first took to social media.
Here's what you need to know about Paul's surprise release from the Clippers.
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Why was Chris Paul released?
The Clippers chose to part ways with Paul after a dismal 5-16 start, but they didn't offer much of an explanation for the move, releasing the following statement:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"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. 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," Clippers president Lawrence Frank told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk on Wednesday morning.
Frank hinted that the Clippers' struggles prompted a move, but he also said explicitly that the team isn't blaming Paul for the team's ugly 5-16 record.
Paul "just wasn't a fit" with this Clippers team, ESPN reported, while former NBA player Lou Williams alleged Paul was "critical of the front office" while holding players and coaches "accountable" in Los Angeles.
Paul has played sparingly this season, averaging only 14.3 minutes per game and shooting just 32.1 percent from the field. The 12-time All-Star said over the summer that he planned to play only one more season and strongly indicated he would like to do so in Los Angeles, describing the difficulty of playing away from his family. Paul previously spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011-17.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE:JJ Redick offers scathing review of Lakers' loss to Suns
Chris Paul contract
Paul signed a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum of $3.6 million in July. That salary is fully guaranteed, so the Clippers will still have to pay out the remaining money on the deal unless Paul signs elsewhere and offsets the salary.
Chris Paul stats
2025-26 stats
Games
PPG
RPG
APG
SPG
FG%
3-pt%
16
2.9
1.8
3.3
0.7
32.1%
33.3%
Paul averaged less than 15 minutes per game over 16 contests but struggled mightily on the offensive end in that limited action, averaging 2.9 points per game on 32.1 percent from the field, including just 30.8 percent from inside the 3-point line after posting a 51.4 percent mark from the same range last season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCareer stats
Season
Team
Games
PPG
RPG
APG
SPG
FG%
3pt%
2005-06
Hornets
78
16.1
5.1
7.8
2.2
43.0%
28.2%
2006-07
Hornets
64
17.3
4.4
8.9
1.8
43.7%
35.0%
2007-08
Hornets
80
21.1
4.0
11.6
2.7
48.8%
36.9%
2008-09
Hornets
78
22.8
5.5
11.0
2.8
50.3%
36.4%
2009-10
Hornets
45
18.7
4.2
10.7
2.1
49.3%
40.9%
2010-11
Hornets
80
15.9
4.1
9.8
2.4
46.3%
38.8%
2011-12
Clippers
60
19.8
3.6
9.1
2.5
47.8%
37.1%
2012-13
Clippers
70
16.9
3.7
9.7
2.4
48.1%
32.8%
2013-14
Clippers
62
19.1
4.3
10.7
2.5
46.7%
36.8%
2014-15
Clippers
82
19.1
4.6
10.2
1.9
48.5%
39.8%
2015-16
Clippers
74
19.5
4.2
10.0
2.1
46.2%
37.1%
2016-17
Clippers
61
18.1
5.0
9.2
2.0
47.6%
41.1%
2017-18
Rockets
58
18.6
5.4
7.9
1.7
46.0%
38.0%
2018-19
Rockets
58
15.6
4.6
8.2
2.0
41.9%
35.8%
2019-20
Thunder
70
17.6
5.0
6.7
1.6
48.9%
36.5%
2020-21
Suns
70
16.4
4.5
8.9
1.4
49.9%
39.5%
2021-22
Suns
65
14.7
4.4
10.8
1.9
49.3%
31.7%
2022-23
Suns
59
13.9
4.3
8.9
1.5
44.0%
37.5%
2023-24
Warriors
58
9.2
3.9
6.8
1.2
44.1%
37.1%
2024-25
Spurs
82
8.8
3.6
7.4
1.3
42.7%
37.7%
2025-26
Clippers
16
2.9
1.8
3.3
0.7
32.1
33.3
Career
1,364
16.9
4.4
9.2
2.0
46.9%
37.0%
Paul ranks second in NBA history in both assists and steals; he led the NBA in assists per game five times and steals per game six times in his 21 seasons.
How old is Chris Paul?
Paul is 40 years old; he is set to turn 41 in May, less than a month after the end of the regular season. Paul was the second-oldest active NBA player before his release, behind only LeBron James.
MORE:Full list of oldest active NBA players
Chris Paul career timeline
2005-11: New Orleans Hornets
2011-17: Los Angeles Clippers
2017-19: Houston Rockets
2019-20: Oklahoma City Thunder
2020-23: Phoenix Suns
2023-24: Golden State Warriors
2024-25: San Antonio Spurs
2025-26: Los Angeles Clippers
Paul has spent time with seven different teams in his 21 NBA seasons, starting with the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) before being traded to the Clippers after a deal that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers was blocked by the NBA out of the 2011 lockout.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPaul starred alongside James Harden for two seasons in Houston, nearly reaching the NBA Finals, and he did reach the Finals in Phoenix after a one-year stop in Oklahoma City next to a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
After stops with the Warriors and Spurs, Paul decided to play his final season closer to home and rejoin the Clippers for a second stint.
Chris Paul landing spots
Lakers
The Lakers should be the first team anyone points to when considering Paul's future, as he lives in Los Angeles and stressed the importance of playing close to home over the summer before signing with the Clippers. Paul has never played for the Lakers despite nearly being traded to the organization in 2011, but he is close friends with LeBron James. If Paul is interested, the question becomes whether the Lakers have room for a player who has struggled and whether they want to disrupt what has been a successful formula this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKnicks
Paul seemed like a nice fit for a Knicks team that needed depth in the offseason. While New York's backcourt is deeper than it was at the time, adding a pass-first veteran point guard off the bench could still be something that interests Mike Brown, who was the Lakers' coach when L.A. tried to acquire Paul in 2011. Whether Paul would play on the east coast is unclear, but the opportunity to finish his career in Madison Square Garden could be intriguing.
Suns
It's possible Paul doesn't want anything new at this stage of his career. If so, why not a reunion with a surprise Suns team missing Jalen Green and trying to fit Devin Booker at point guard? Collin Gillespie has been a nice story in Phoenix's backcourt, but Paul can be serviceable depth at the point guard position and has experience playing alongside Booker even if the rest of the roster and regime has undergone a facelift since his 2023 exit.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpurs
Paul started all 82 games for the Spurs last season next to Victor Wembanyama. San Antonio has since figured out its point guard situation between De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, but adding Paul in a depth role could be a nice fit for both sides with the future Hall of Famer clearly comfortable with the organization and the Spurs looking like a contender in the West.
Will Chris Paul retire?
Paul hasn't spoken publicly beyond his Instagram post early Wednesday morning, and there are no indications he's leaning toward retiring immediately.
At the same time, Paul would have to find an interested suitor if he wants to continue his playing career. His leadership ability and intangibles could interest contenders, but Paul has struggled mightily on the offensive end this season and would be the second-oldest player in the NBA if he latched on with another team.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPaul confirmed in late November that the 2025-26 season will be his last in the NBA.
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