Chris Paul’s second run with the Clippers barely got off the ground before it came to an abrupt end - and according to Kawhi Leonard, he had nothing to do with it.
The 12-time All-Star signed a one-year, $3.63 million deal with Los Angeles ahead of the season, a move that felt more like a quiet homecoming than a headline grabber. But what looked like a veteran reunion quickly turned into a short-lived experiment.
Behind the scenes, things didn’t click. Reports suggest Paul wasn’t on the same page with assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy or head coach Tyronn Lue.
The friction reportedly came to a head during a late-November game against Dallas, where Paul and the coaching staff clashed over how Leonard was being utilized. That disagreement, according to multiple sources, played a role in the unraveling of the relationship.
Leonard, for his part, made it clear he wasn’t involved in the fallout.
“Surprised at it,” Leonard said. “He’s always been a willing teammate when I’ve spoke to him.
Our conversations have always been positive and team-forward. I didn’t have nothing to do with it.”
It’s a strong statement from a player who typically keeps things close to the vest. Leonard rarely gets pulled into off-court drama, and he’s not one to offer public commentary unless he feels it’s necessary. His comments suggest that whatever issues led to Paul’s departure were internal - and not about locker room chemistry with the stars.
On the floor, Paul’s impact was muted. In 16 games, the 40-year-old averaged just 2.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds while shooting a career-low 32.1 percent from the field. It was a far cry from the version of Paul who once orchestrated offenses with surgical precision.
Of course, Paul had already announced his intention to retire after this season, and with his future now uncertain, there’s a real possibility we’ve already seen the last of him in uniform. Whether he suits up again or not, his brief Clippers encore may end up as a footnote in an otherwise Hall of Fame career.
For now, the Clippers will move forward without the veteran point guard, while Paul - one of the most cerebral players of his generation - faces the possibility that his final NBA moments may have already come and gone.