Why is Chris Paul retiring? Clippers point guard to hang it up after 2025 season

Why is Chris Paul retiring? Clippers point guard to hang it up after 2025 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After 21 seasons, the “Point God” is about to call it a career.

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul will retire after the 2025-26 season, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed Saturday, bringing an end to a Hall of Fame career this spring.

Paul has played sparingly in his return to the Clippers, who have struggled out of the gate this season, and he indicated over the summer that this would likely be his final season.

Here’s what you need to know about Paul’s impending retirement.

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Why is Chris Paul retiring?

Paul indicated in July that he would likely only play one more season, revealing that his desire to spend time with his family was pushing him toward retirement.

"After being away from them for six years, it's time to be present," Paul said, but he found a way to continue his career while remaining close to home by returning for a second stint with the Clippers.

Paul has played limited minutes with L.A., and the Clippers have struggled early in the season.

"I just finished my 20th season, which is a blessing in itself," Paul said over the summer, explaining that he is grateful just to have played for so long. Paul is only of only seven players to appear in 21 NBA seasons, so he has already had a longer career than the vast majority of NBA stars.

Paul's intangibles as a leader and passer are invaluable, but he has declined offensively in recent years, shooting a career-low 42.7 percent from the field with the San Antonio Spurs last season and struggling in limited minutes this season with the Clippers.MORE:Full list of oldest active NBA players

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 is the second-oldest active NBA player, behind only LeBron James.

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How many teams has Chris Paul played for?

Paul has played for seven different teams, including two stints with the Clippers.

The former Wake Forest star spent his first six seasons with New Orleans, though his first two were actually played in Oklahoma City, as the Hornets temporarily relocated following Hurricane Katrina.

After an agreed-upon trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was blocked by the NBA, Paul was sent to the Clippers following the 2011 lockout and remained in L.A. until a trade to the Houston Rockets in 2017. He spent two seasons in Houston before being sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook.

A resurgent season with a Thunder team transitioning into a rebuild led to a trade to the Phoenix Suns, where Paul came within two wins of a championship during a run to the NBA Finals. He played the 2023-24 season with the Golden State Warriors and 2024-25 with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs before returning to the Clippers for one last ride.

Paul never left the Western Conference in his 21 seasons.

MORE: Complete history of Kevin Durant's long and winding NBA career,

Chris Paul career 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

10

2.5

1.8

3.3

1.0

27.3%

27.3%

Career

1,364

16.9

4.4

9.2

2.0

46.9%

36.9%

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.