The Clippers just made a move that’s going to echo through their franchise history for a long time. In a stunning and abrupt decision, Los Angeles waived Chris Paul - the same Chris Paul who, for many fans, is the Clippers.
The same point guard who helped redefine the franchise during his six-year run in the 2010s. The same player who returned this past summer for a farewell season in the city where he built his legacy.
And now, just a couple months into the season, he’s gone.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a basketball decision. According to multiple reports, the team’s front office felt Paul’s attempts to hold teammates accountable were becoming a distraction. That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially considering the Clippers’ 5-16 record - a start that’s been nothing short of disastrous for a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations.
Chris Haynes reported that Paul tried to meet with head coach Tyronn Lue to address concerns about his role and presence in the locker room, but Lue declined the meeting. Instead, Clippers executive Lawrence Frank flew to Atlanta to deliver the news in person: Paul’s time with the Clippers was over.
Let that sink in. One of the greatest point guards of his generation - and arguably the best player in Clippers history - was shown the door without even a conversation with his head coach.
This isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about how a franchise treats its legends. And right now, the Clippers are sending a message that’s hard to ignore.
There’s a familiar feel to all of this. If you’re a Timberwolves fan, you’ve seen this movie before.
Kevin Garnett, the greatest player in Minnesota’s history, returned to the Wolves for a final run, only to have his relationship with the organization fall apart over broken promises and front office dysfunction. Garnett wanted a post-retirement role with the team.
After Flip Saunders passed away, owner Glen Taylor didn’t follow through. The result?
A fractured relationship that’s still unresolved - and a jersey that still hasn’t been retired.
Garnett’s No. 21 hangs in the rafters in Boston, but not in Minneapolis. That’s not just strange - it’s a gut punch to Wolves fans who watched him carry the franchise for over a decade.
Now, the Clippers risk heading down that same road with Chris Paul.
Despite being in the league for over 50 years - and in Los Angeles for more than 40 - the Clippers have never retired a jersey. Not one.
And if there was ever a moment to change that, it was this season. Paul came back for a final chapter.
It felt like the perfect time to honor the player who helped elevate the Clippers from NBA punchline to perennial playoff team.
Instead, the relationship ends like this - quietly, awkwardly, and without closure.
Paul isn’t exactly known for letting things slide, either. He’s fiercely competitive, and he’s built his career on accountability, leadership, and an unrelenting drive to win. If he felt disrespected by the way this was handled, it’s hard to imagine him embracing the idea of his jersey going up in the rafters anytime soon.
And if not Paul, then who? Blake Griffin?
Sure, he was a cornerstone of the Lob City era, but let’s not forget how that ended. The Clippers made a full-court press to keep him in free agency - literally putting him on a shirt with historical icons like MLK, Mandela, and Lincoln, labeling him a "pioneer."
Then, months later, they traded him.
Yes, that actually happened.
Kawhi Leonard? His time in LA has been defined by injuries, inconsistency, and now a scandal that’s rocked the organization. If this era ends with no deep playoff runs and more questions than answers, hanging his jersey would feel more symbolic than earned.
Chris Paul, on the other hand, changed the culture. He brought respectability to a franchise that desperately needed it.
He led. He competed.
He won. And now, he’s gone - not with a tribute video or a farewell tour, but with a quiet release and a cloud of internal tension.
What happens next is anyone’s guess. Maybe the Clippers and Paul eventually mend fences.
Maybe, years down the line, No. 3 finally gets the recognition it deserves in the rafters of whatever arena the Clippers call home. But for now, this feels like a missed opportunity - one that could haunt the franchise for a long time.
Because when you have a player like Chris Paul - the kind of player who defines an era - you don’t just let him walk away like this. Not if you want to build something lasting. Not if you want to show future stars that the Clippers are more than just a stop on the NBA map.
This was a chance to do right by a franchise legend. Instead, it’s another chapter in a story the Clippers can’t seem to stop writing - one where potential meets dysfunction, and legacy gets lost in the shuffle.