Clippers teammates, coaching staff quickly soured on Chris Paul

Chris Paul’s time with the Clippers is officially over, and the breakup sounds even messier than it looked.

According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the entire organization had grown “fed up” with Paul during his short return to Los Angeles. The team sent him home while on the road in Atlanta and he will not play for the Clippers again.

Turner reports that Paul “called out” players, coaches and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank during his stint with the team. Paul apologized, but the source told Turner the damage was done and “everyone was fed up.”

Multiple insiders added more fuel to the story. Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Tyronn Lue and Paul had not been on speaking terms for weeks. NBA insider Chris Haynes added that Paul tried to meet with Lue to address accusations he was a negative presence, and Lue refused.

The Clippers issued their own controlled statement, with Frank praising Paul’s career and accepting blame for the team’s ugly 5-16 start. Frank said the organization will work with Paul on next steps.

There is no guarantee those next steps even include another team. Turner’s source suggested Paul’s age and his strong voice in the locker room could make clubs hesitant.

Paul averaged 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 16 games and fell out of the rotation before reappearing due to injuries. To part ways, the Clippers will need to trade him after December 15, agree to a buyout, or waive him and eat his $3.6 million salary.