Chris Paul, Clippers parting ways: Buyout, trade or retirement next?

Chris Paul and the LA Clippers are parting ways.

The 40-year-old point guard announced Wednesday morning that he was being sent home to Los Angeles from Atlanta, where the Clippers are playing the Hawks. He signed with the Clippers for a one-year contract in July, returning to the franchise where he played six seasons (2011-17). He hadn’t been on speaking terms with coach Ty Lue for several weeks, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

After starting all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season, Paul averaged just 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes in 16 games for the Clippers, who are 5-16 and struggling.

The Clippers can’t trade Paul until Dec. 15, but they could waive him and pay his $3.6 million salary or agree to a buyout.

What’s next for Paul and the Clippers, who lost Bradley Beal to a season-ending hip injury last month? Which teams might be interested in adding Paul for the remainder of the season? And if this is the end of his career – he announced in November that he would retire in 2026 – how will his time in the league be remembered? ESPN journalists and analysts give their opinion:

Jump to a question:
How much does Paul have left?
Which teams might make sense to add him?
What are the Clippers’ options now??
Can LA turn its season around?
How will Paul’s career be remembered?

Why didn’t this reunion work in Los Angeles this time?

Both sides had good intentions, but it just didn’t fit.

President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank made it clear Wednesday morning that Paul was not blamed for the Clippers losing 14 of 16 games. But clearly, if the Clippers and Paul, to a lesser extent, had played better, whatever other issues led to this split probably would have been more tolerable.

The Clippers made it clear to Paul when they signed him that he would play a reserve role and that there would be nights where he would not be in the rotation. He wanted to stay in Los Angeles and retire with the Clippers. He didn’t play in five straight games last month, but then played the next eight games with fluctuating minutes. However, nothing went as planned during this disastrous season.

Paul has spent his entire career as an outspoken leader, known for being stubborn at times. But he’s not the only one who made the Clippers a 5-16 team. They look and play old. In an era where the tendency for teams is to stock up on young players who play fast, they stocked up on veterans with the playoffs in mind.

The Clippers’ other key signings, Beal and Brook Lopez, have also not performed as hoped. Beal is out for the season and Lopez is out of the rotation. What Los Angeles has in mind remains to be seen, but the franchise continues without Paul after just a few months. — Ohm Youngmisuk

How much does Paul have left?

It was a surprise that Paul wasn’t able to get more playing time with the Clippers this season. As a member of the Spurs in 2024-25, Paul was one of six players in the league to start all 82 games. That season, he ranked seventh in assists (7.4 per game) and had a plus-9.0 point differential per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass, which ranked in the 92nd percentile in the league. At 39, he was definitely no longer in his prime, but he still ranked among the average point guards, which seemed to make him an ideal option for a backup role in Los Angeles.

But Paul’s performance has declined significantly during his limited time this season. He shot just 32 percent from the field and attempted two free throws in 16 games; out of 296 players who have played at least 200 minutes this season, Paul ranks 279th in player efficiency and 277th in box plus/minus. The most pessimistic sign of all is that Tyronn Lue, an excellent coach, seemed to lose faith in Paul’s ability to turn things around, playing him less even as the Clippers’ season was going badly.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Paul has nothing left, but the initial returns weren’t promising. For years he had a gentle, gradual decline, but the decline in his age 40 season was sudden and steep. — Zach Kram

Which teams are suitable as landing spots for Paul?

While his former teams – the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets – make the most sense on paper, they also aren’t an ideal fit given how the season is going. The Suns have been overachieving (13-9) and have benefited from solid guard play this season from Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. Gillespie is averaging a career-high 13.3 points and 5.0 assists. In his two recent starts, he has totaled 52 points. Phoenix has an available roster spot, but would go deeper into the luxury tax. They are already $402,000 higher.

The Rockets are in a similar situation, as they are not allowed to sign a 15th player until early January. Even without starting point guard Fred VanVleet, they rank No. 1 in the league on offense. They did, however, give up the 11th most turnovers so far.

The Los Angeles Lakers have one roster spot available and could be an option next month, but they are not allowed to sign a 15th player until January 19.

In addition to these three teams, Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Miami, Minnesota, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia and Toronto each have an open spot. Only Atlanta, however, is not a luxury team when it comes to taxes or aprons. The Dallas Mavericks recently used two-way player Ryan Nembhard at point guard. They would need to open up a roster spot to sign Paul. They are also paralyzed to recruit a player because of the second apron.

Expect more spots to open after January 7. This is the date by which teams must make a decision regarding players who have partially guaranteed contracts. — Bobby Marques

What options do the Clippers have to add to their roster?

The Clippers are on hold. Paul’s $3.6 million contract was guaranteed and he cannot be traded until December 15, when free agents who signed during the offseason can be traded.

While they could waive Paul now and take care of his salary ($2.3 million would count against the cap), they are not allowed to replace him because they are $1.3 million below the first apron. The earliest they can sign a replacement is January 7, unless there is a separate trade to go further below the apron.

Most importantly: the Clippers are not allowed to have fewer than 14 players on their roster for more than 14 consecutive days. For example, if Paul is waived before December 22, he will not meet the minimum roster requirements. — Brands

Is there a chance for the Clippers to turn their season around?

There are several reasons to think the Clippers’ 5-16 record overstates their shortcomings: Their 2-7 record in decisive games will likely even out as the season continues, and their opponents likely won’t continue to make 39 percent of their 3-pointers, the second-highest mark in the league.

But more broadly, the Clippers’ slow start doesn’t seem like a coincidence. They rank 20th in offense, 27th in defense and 24th in net, and their Pythagorean record – which estimates a team’s expected record based on point differential – is 7-14. While Kawhi Leonard has missed 10 games, the Clippers are just 3-8 when he plays compared to 2-8 when he doesn’t, and their other best players (James Harden and Ivica Zubac) have only missed one game combined.

Other teams at the bottom of the Western Conference standings are also struggling: the Clippers have a better Pythagorean record than the Kings, Pelicans and Jazz, and they are only slightly behind the Mavericks. But even if they surpass these four teams in the standings, they would still only occupy 11th place in the West, which would not even allow them to claim a play-in spot.

The Clippers are already three games out of 10th place and 5½ games out of eighth — meaning that even in a realistic best-case scenario, they would have to win a few play-in games just to reach the playoffs and face the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. — Kram

If Paul is not picked up, what will his NBA legacy be?

It’s hard to know where to start because Paul has been at the center of so many important moments in NBA history. From his rookie year, when the New Orleans Hornets moved to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina, to the trade with the Lakers, which was notoriously vetoed by NBA commissioner David Stern – acting as owner of the Hornets – to the subsequent trade with the Clippers to form Lob City, with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Then there was the scandal with Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who was banned from the NBA for life for racist remarks made toward a former personal assistant while Paul was with the team. Don’t forget Paul’s work in establishing the NBA Bubble during the 2020 season. Or his landmark career as president of the NBA Players Association. We could list others, and Paul might tell these stories himself one day, because he has already started moving into the media world.

But his basketball legacy could end up being one of the last true point guards. In his prime, he was nicknamed The Point God due to his mastery of the position, ability to run the game, and statistical genius.

However, the game has changed dramatically over the past few decades. Playmaking skills are found at every position. Centers like Nikola Jokic or forwards like Luka Doncic now control games like Paul did. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who counts Paul as a friend and mentor, is more of a hybrid guard who can score as well as run an offense. Paul is a true leader in the mold of John Stockton or Isiah Thomas or Jason Kidd. He will finish his career behind Stockton in terms of assists. And among players 6 feet or shorter, he ranks first in career assists, steals and rebounds. — Ramona Shelburne