NBA Trade Deadline: Chris Paul traded to Raptors, future in Toronto uncertain
NBA — Chris Paul lands in Toronto in a multi-team deal involving the Clippers and Nets
Dec 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Chris Paul watches during the Emirates NBA Cup semifinals game between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Photo Credit : © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Chris Paul joins the Raptors in a trade involving the Clippers and Nets. The 40-year-old veteran point guard may not stay long in Toronto before the end of his final NBA season.
The LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptorshave agreed on a three-team trade that sends Chris Paul to the Raptors, while Ochai Agbaji, a 2032 second-round pick from the Raptors and cash head to the Nets. This transaction comes as the 2026 NBA trade deadline approaches.
The Raptors will not require Chris Paul to report to the team and could still discuss trades involving him over the next day. Toronto is now out of the tax. Brooklyn picks up an asset and cash to cover Agbaji’s salary. The Clippers clear a roster spot and save $7 million in tax. https://t.co/2Bu0sGZzJB
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
An Uncertain Future for the Point God in Toronto
The impact of this trade remains unclear for Paul, who is playing his final NBA season at age 40. The Raptors are not requiring Chris Paul to report to the team and could still discuss trading him before Thursday’s 3 PM deadline (9 PM French time). This flexibility leaves the door open for another move for the 12-time All-Star selection veteran.
Paul had signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract to return to the Clippers last season, before announcing it would be his final NBA campaign. Relations deteriorated in December when the organization shocked the league by sending Paul home in the middle of a road trip. General Manager Lawrence Frank and Coach Tyronn Lue made clear their intention to part ways with one of the franchise’s greatest point guards, following friction regarding Paul’s leadership style in the locker room.
A Beneficial Transaction for All Three Teams
This season with the Clippers, Paul posted career lows with 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14 minutes over 16 games. For Toronto, which now exits the luxury tax, Paul could bring a veteran presence off the bench for an emerging team led by Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, preparing for the playoffs after being one of the pleasant surprises in the Eastern Conference this year.
For his part, Agbaji joins Brooklyn where he’ll have the opportunity to prove himself with the rebuilding Nets. The wing, selected 14th in the 2022 draft, will become a restricted free agent this summer after seeing his playing time decrease significantly this season in Toronto, where he averaged 4.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.
The Clippers, meanwhile, free up a roster spot and save $7 million in luxury tax. Paul could thus end his legendary career with an eighth NBA team, having declared he was « at peace » with his separation from the Clippers last December.
Sylvain Sultat suit la NBA au quotidien, entre performances individuelles, dynamiques collectives et grandes histoires de la ligue. Sur BeBasket, il décrypte l’actualité américaine avec passion et régularité, toujours à l’affût des tendances qui font bouger le monde du basket.
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