Chris Paul Reveals Clippers' Unexpected Move After Retirement Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Escarpio | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 3:21 AM ET

Chris Paul was selected at No. 4 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2005 NBA Draft.

The future Hall of Fame point guard has spent time with the Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs before returning to the Clippers for the 2025-26 NBA season.

In 2024-25, he played and started all 82 games for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points per game with 7.4 assists.

In the summer, Paul reunited with the Clippers on a one-year deal despite interest from the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks and Hornets.

This season, Paul is averaging just 2.9 points with 3.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 16 games with the Clippers.

He is averaging just over 14 minutes a game in a reserve role, and the Clippers are now 5-16 after a 140-123 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) brings the ball up court during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Intuit Dome.Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

At the end of November, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that this was going to be Paul's final year in the NBA.

The veteran then posted on scial media, writing, Paul posted on social media, writing, "What a ride...Still so much left...GRATEFUL for this last one!!"

But, at 2 am in Atlanta on Wednesday morning, Paul posted an Instagram story that caught everybody off guard.

"Just Found Out I'm Being Sent Home."

It is 2:40am in Atlanta and Chris Paul just posted this pic.twitter.com/YZpzPckDql
— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 3, 2025

The Clippers face the Atlanta Hawks on the road on Wednesday night in the second game of a five-game road trip.

On Monday against the Heat, Paul played 14 minutes, scoring eight points with three assists in the loss.

The Clippers released a statement shortly after Paul posted the Instagram story revealing that they are parting ways with him.

"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," Lawrence Frank wrote in the statement. "We're grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise."

This statment is from Lawrence Frank on Clippers' reasoning behind split with Chris Paul. https://t.co/YwLshKl30W
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) December 3, 2025