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Ohm Youngmisuk
ATLANTA — In an astonishing overnight development, the LA Clippers declared that Chris Paul is no longer part of the team.
Paul, regarded as one of the finest players in Clippers’ franchise history, shared on his Instagram just before 3 a.m. ET that he had been informed he was being sent back to Los Angeles from Atlanta, where the Clippers are set to face the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Not long after, Lawrence Frank sent a text to ESPN affirming that Paul is no longer with the team.
«We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be a part of the team,» stated the Clippers president of basketball operations in the text. «We will assist him with the next stage of his career.»
«Chris is an iconic Clipper who has enjoyed a historic career. I want to emphasize that no one is holding Chris responsible for our struggles. I take accountability for our current record. Many factors have contributed to our difficulties. We appreciate the impact Chris has had on the franchise.»
The Clippers have suffered losses in 14 of their last 16 games, including five consecutive defeats, and head into their matchup against the Hawks with a 5-16 record. They lost Bradley Beal, one of their key signings from the offseason, to a season-ending hip injury in early November.
Now, Paul and the Clippers are parting ways. The Clippers re-signed Paul in late July under a one-year contract. For Paul, 40, this was an opportunity to return and conclude his career with the franchise he was with for six seasons from 2011 to 2017. Sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania last month that Paul intends to retire at the end of this season, marking his 21st season.
Paul holds the record for the most total assists and steals per game in the team’s history. After starting 1,314 of his 1,354 career games and beginning all 82 games last season for the San Antonio Spurs, Paul’s role shifted to coming off the bench with the Clippers, recognizing he may not play consistently.
He participated in 15 games, averaging 2.6 points and 3.3 assists in 14.2 minutes per game. In his final appearance with the Clippers, he logged 15 minutes, scoring eight points and recording three assists in Monday’s 140-123 defeat to Miami.
This marks the second occasion the Clippers have had a challenging and abrupt conclusion with one of their prominent players from the Lob City era. In July 2017, Blake Griffin signed a five-year, $171-million contract with the Clippers but was traded to the Detroit Pistons later that season in January as the team opted for a different direction.
