The Clippers parted ways with veteran point guard Chris Paul early Wednesday just months after warmly welcoming him back to the team that he helped turn into a legitimate contender.
Paul, 40, had announced last month that this was going to be his last season before he retired and had wanted to end his legendary career in Los Angeles. But he posted at 2:40 a.m. Paul wrote on his Instagram account “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home” with a peace emoji.
The Clippers (5-21) are in Atlanta, where they are set to play the Hawks on Wednesday as part of a five-game trip.
“We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team,” President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement to The Athletic. “Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”
Paul signed a one-year $3.6 million contract with the Clippers in July and hinted then that this could be his final season. The Clippers could waive him and pay out his salary, but they don’t have enough room under the hard cap to fill the spot.
Or the Clippers could agree to a buyout or look to trade Paul, who becomes trade eligible Dec. 15.
Paul recently saw an uptick in minutes as the team has continued to spiral, losing 14 of its past 16 games, the last a blowout loss to the Miami Heat on Monday. In 16 games, Paul averaged 2.9 points and 3.3 assists.
Paul enjoyed some of his best seasons with the Clippers, rejuvenating the franchise with his spectacular passes to center Blake Griffin, a signature move that turned the team into “Lob City,” The Clippers reached the playoffs all six of Paul’s seasons in L.A., including two Western Conference semifinal appearances.