The Los Angeles Clippers stunned many around the league when they decided to part ways with Chris Paul during what was expected to be the final season of the veteran guard’s NBA career. Paul entered the year openly acknowledging that retirement loomed, and given his history with the franchise, the assumption centered on a steady farewell tour rather than a sudden separation.
Instead, the season unraveled quickly. Paul fell out of the rotation, and multiple reports pointed to growing tension behind the scenes, particularly involving head coach Ty Lue. By early December, the Clippers made the call to send Paul home, effectively ending his time with the team in a move that caught players and fans off guard.
James Harden, who has shared locker rooms with Paul in both Houston and Los Angeles, admitted he did not see it coming. Weeks later, Kawhi Leonard echoed that same disbelief while addressing the situation publicly for the first time, per Fadeaway World.
Leonard Says Decision Came Out of Nowhere
Speaking to reporters at practice on Sunday, Leonard emphasized that he had no advance knowledge of the Clippers’ decision and denied having any involvement in it.
“Surprised at it,” Leonard said, via Joey Linn. “He’s always been a willing teammate when I’ve spoke to him. Only thing I could talk about is our conversations. And they’ve always been positive and team-forward. I didn’t have nothing to do with it. I didn’t even know what was going on.”
Leonard’s comments aligned closely with Harden’s initial reaction when the news broke earlier this season. After a game against the Atlanta Hawks, Harden described the situation as confusing and largely out of the players’ control.
“I’m just as confused and shocked as you guys, the world,” Harden said at the time. “Definitely surprised me. But not just Chris, it’s a lot that we were dealing with. But that is out of my hands. I got to focus on what I got to focus on and what I can control. I guess the front office felt that was the best decision for the organization.”
Paul was officially sent home from the Clippers’ road trip in Atlanta on Dec. 3. During the 2025–26 season, he averaged 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.7 steals per game, numbers that reflected his reduced role and inconsistent minutes.
Reports of Tension and How Leonard Fits In
While Leonard made it clear there were no personal issues between himself and Paul, reports throughout the season painted a picture of broader frustration within the locker room. Paul’s leadership style reportedly rubbed some teammates the wrong way, particularly in how he communicated during games and practices.
One moment that drew attention occurred during a game against the Dallas Mavericks. Paul reportedly asked Leonard to switch off Klay Thompson defensively, a move that prompted Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy to confront him on the bench.
“You might’ve had leeway in other places to change up defensive coverages, but you don’t have that leeway here,” Van Gundy told Paul.
Social media accounts also highlighted a separate clip from a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in which Leonard appeared visibly frustrated as Paul attempted to direct him on the floor. Still, there has been no reporting to suggest sustained tension between the two stars, and Leonard’s comments on Sunday reinforced that point.
Paul has publicly stated that he is at peace with how his Clippers tenure ended, though his social media activity suggests the situation continues to weigh on him. On Sunday, he reposted a message on Instagram that read, “Never stop being a good person, no matter what happens around you.”
Whether Paul chooses to expand on his perspective later remains to be seen. For now, Leonard’s message was direct and unambiguous, distancing himself from the decision and underscoring that the call came from above, not from within the locker room.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Kawhi Leonard Clears Air After Clippers’ Decision on Chris Paul appeared first on Heavy Sports.