Chris Paul and the Clippers: chronicle of a divorce foretold

Two weeks after being sent home by the Los Angeles Clippers, Chris Paul is still waiting to learn what’s next for his career. What was supposed to be a beautiful reunion story turned into a brutal divorce, revealing a gaping divide between the franchise’s expectations and the 40-year-old veteran’s personality.

According to ESPN reports, the misunderstanding goes back to Paul’s signing last July. The Clippers hoped to bring back a benevolent locker room leader, capable of compensating for the lack of vocal leadership from James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Lawrence Frank had reassured several players about the point guard’s limited playing time, describing his role as that of an « end-of-bench veteran. »

.@ChrisBHaynes joins us to discuss Chris Paul's departure from the Los Angeles Clippers.#NBAonPrime pic.twitter.com/qE9zPXvkn5

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A personality too overwhelming for a group of veterans

But Chris Paul remained Chris Paul. From the first training camp practices, the former All-Star showed he wasn’t there to be a spectator. With the reserves, he regularly dominated the starters in practice. « We kicked their ass every day, » John Collins told ESPN.

This on-court efficiency was accompanied by what has been Paul’s reputation for twenty years: his incessant commentary and tactical suggestions. When he proposed training methods to a teammate, he was accused of undermining the staff’s authority. When he challenged players, he was found abrasive.

« If what they wanted was a cheerleader, why sign Chris Paul? They’ve already had him, they know him, » summarizes an executive from another franchise, quoted anonymously by ESPN.

The situation deteriorated from the first regular season game. After the loss to the Jazz, Paul tried to organize a discussion in the locker room, a habit of his. But the Clippers group, not very talkative even after victories, didn’t embrace this approach.

The plane incident, the final straw

The point of no return came during the flight to Miami on November 30. After the loss to Dallas, Jeff Van Gundy, the assistant coach, reproaches Paul for changing Kawhi Leonard‘s defensive assignment on Klay Thompson. Paul, who felt Leonard was too tired to chase Thompson, defends himself by saying he only made a « suggestion. »

To prove his point, he gets up on the plane and goes to question Leonard and Kris Dunn, who confirm his version. This interaction, later reported to management, definitively seals the point guard’s fate.

On December 2, in his hotel room in Atlanta, Lawrence Frank tells Paul the adventure is over. Stunned, the former players’ union president tries to plead his case, even bringing in Brook Lopez as a « character witness. » To no avail, the decision was made.

Today, Paul trains at the Clippers’ former training facility, now owned by the players’ union, awaiting a trade or contract buyout. A bitter ending for the one who remains the greatest player in franchise history, but whose personality had become incompatible with a group seeking peace and quiet.

« He was already a pain in the ass when he was a great player. And now, he’s no longer a great player, » concludes another NBA executive. The verdict is final.