The Los Angeles Clippers have sent veteran guard Chris Paul home from their ongoing road trip, ending his homecoming season in abrupt and awkward fashion. The 40-year-old, who returned to the franchise in 2025 for a final season, was informed he would no longer be part of the team. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank confirmed the move in a statement to ESPN, saying, 'We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team.' Frank added that no one was blaming Paul for the team's underperformance.
Paul joined the Clippers in 2011 and helped transform the franchise into a perennial playoff contender, earning three All-NBA first-team selections and averaging 18.8 points and 9.8 assists over six seasons. His return in 2025 was seen as a feelgood reunion, with Paul accepting a reserve role. However, the honeymoon did not last. Paul averaged just over 14 minutes and three points per game, and according to ESPN's Shams Charania, he had been 'vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable, which the team felt became disruptive,' even going weeks without speaking to head coach Tyronn Lue.
The Clippers have lost 14 of their last 16 games after a hopeful 3-2 start, leaving them tied with the Sacramento Kings for second-last in the Western Conference. The team's unravelling has exposed a franchise stumbling into a darker new era, with fans tearing out their hair and contemplating defections. Paul's departure marks the most dispiriting square on the Clippers' bingo card: a beloved, decorated veteran unceremoniously kicked to the curb in his final season.
Paul's career will remain broadly respected, but the missing championship remains a lingering regret. Sentiment played a role in his decision to return, but so did the chance to chase that elusive Larry O'Brien trophy with a team that looked strong last spring. Now, he will not be winning with the Clippers.
