Source: David Jensen / Getty
Chris Paul’s farewell season isn’t going exactly as planned.
The 40-year-old is suddenly no longer a Los Angeles Clipper. He broke the news himself on social media around 3 a.m., posting to his Instagram Stories.
“Just found out I’m being sent home [peace sign],” he plainly wrote while the team was in Atlanta to play the Hawks.
It may seem like a cruel joke, but Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank confirmed he was cut to ESPN, clarifying that it’s got nothing to do with how he impacts the team.
“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career,” Frank wrote. “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.”
Struggle is putting it nicely for the Clippers’ efforts this season. They’ve lost their last five games, and 14 of their previous 16. There are no signs of much improvement, especially with the absence of Bradley Beal, who underwent season-ending surgery after fracturing his hip.
Paul’s impact on the Clippers didn’t show up on the box score, averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes through 16 games. Still, a veteran presence of his stature has an immeasurable impact on a locker room.
Aside from what he brought to the team, the remainder of the 2025-26 season was supposed to be easy sailing for the future first ballot Hall of Famer.
A few weeks ago, he announced that this was his last season, returning to the team that he gave some of his best years to, where he balled out alongside Blake Griffin during the Lob City era.
It’s unclear what Paul plans on doing, or why the Clippers released him on what’s supposed to be a victory lap.
So some fans are pretty angry, given his best moments in the NBA. Check out the reactions below.
