Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue broke his silence following experiences that he and Chris Paul weren’t on talking phrases for a number of weeks previous to the announcement of Paul’s sudden split from the team on Wednesday (December 3).
“It just didn’t work out like we thought it would. I just think it wasn’t a good fit for what he was looking for. It is what it is,” Lue instructed reporters after the Clippers’ 115-92 win in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks through the New York Post. “Do I want to see CP go out like this? No. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been a friend of mine over the years. You never wanna see a great go out like this. But I’m pretty sure he will find something, because he’s a great player. … I didn’t wanna see it end like this.”
Lue’s feedback got here hours after ESPN‘s Shams Charania reported that Paul clashed with the Clippers’ management, particularly Lue, who he hadn’t been on talking phrases with “for several weeks.”
Paul, 40, one of many biggest gamers in franchise historical past, returned to the Clippers this previous offseason forward of what he later introduced can be his ultimate NBA season earlier than retirement. The legendary level guard shared a publish on his Instagram Story simply earlier than 3:00 a.m. ET claiming he was being despatched residence forward of the Clippers’ scheduled highway recreation in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
“We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank confirmed in a texted assertion to ESPN Wednesday morning. “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.”
The Clippers would want to waive Paul and payout his $3.6 million wage, conform to a buyout or commerce him after the no-trade deadline of December 15 in an effort to transfer on from him. Los Angeles has misplaced 14 of its final 16 video games, which incorporates 5 consecutive losses and is 5-16 by way of its first 21 video games of the 2025-26 NBA season.
Paul, who’s the franchise chief in assists and steals per recreation, has averaged 2.9 factors and three.3 assists in 14.3 minutes per recreation in 16 appearances this season. The Clippers had already misplaced Bradley Beal, certainly one of their greatest offseason acquisitions, to a season-ending hip damage.