How does a future Hall of Famer cope with being dismissed on his day off?
Laughing with his friends and former Lob City teammates.
On Wednesday, Chris Paul shared an Instagram post of him laughing with former LA Clippers teammates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The moment followed Paul’s stunning overnight separation from the franchise, which announced it will part ways with the 40-year-old point guard, who ranks first in team history with 4,076 assists. Across 425 regular-season appearances and two stints with the Clippers, Paul also ranks sixth in total points (7,721), ninth in made field goals (2,718), fifth in 3-pointers made (628), second in steals (913) and first in win shares (78.2).
The reaction to the news has surprised basketball observers everywhere, but maybe Paul, Griffin and Jordan shared some inside jokes about how absurd this latest chapter in Clippers history appears to be. Clippers basketball president Lawrence Frank said the Clippers will work with Paul on the next chapter of his career.
That notion sounds kind until one realizes several things. Paul recently announced this season would be his last in the NBA, and, as The Athletic’s Law Murray reported earlier Wednesday, the decision for Paul to leave the team was not broached by him. Although he’s played sporadic minutes in his second stint as a Clipper, the team is hardly in a position to be picky about talent, given its 5-16 start and injury-riddled roster. Paul’s awkward departure continued the Clippers’ odd trend of burning bridges with arguably their best players.
Oh, when they said at home they meant AT HOME https://t.co/vhqn352YEC
— J.E. Skeets (@jeskeets) December 3, 2025
Between the 2011-12 and 2016-17 seasons, the Clippers’ .658 win percentage tied the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA’s third-best record, trailing the San Antonio Spurs (.742) and Golden State Warriors (.689). Paul, Griffin and Jordan each earned All-Star and All-NBA recognition while establishing the Clippers as contenders for the first time in team history, although that window didn’t yield a Western Conference or NBA Finals appearance.
But like Paul, Griffin had an awkward and sudden end to his Clippers tenure after making a commitment. Remember when he signed a long-term deal to remain in Los Angeles in July 2017? The team traded him to the Detroit Pistons six months later! The next year, Jordan ended his 10-year run with the franchise by opting out of his contract to sign with the Dallas Mavericks. That’s a perfectly normal business decision to make, but do remember his indecision when deciding between franchises during his first free-agency tour in 2015.
It remains to be seen what remains in Paul’s stellar career, but it’s good to see him finding comfort among friends as the Clippers continue doing Clippers things.
