Latest on Chris Paul

Chris Paul is technically still a member of the Clippers. He cannot be traded until December 15, and waiving him now would create roster and cap complications for a team sitting less than $1.3 million below its hard cap.

But the Clippers made it clear on Tuesday night that Paul has played his last game for them, announcing they are “parting ways” with the 40-year-old.

The news came less than two weeks after Paul said the 2025-26 season would be his last as an NBA player. This is not how he envisioned the final chapter of his career. And he has no interest in going out this way.

Appearing on ESPN’s NBA Today, Marc J. Spears of Andscape said Paul wants to keep playing.

“Absolutely not,” Spears said when asked if Paul is ready to retire. “He does want to play.”

Finding a home will be much tougher now than it would have been 10 or 15 years ago. Paul’s performance fell off sharply this fall after starting all 82 games for the Spurs last season.

He averaged just 14.3 minutes in 16 outings for the Clippers, posting career lows across the board, including 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. His shooting numbers were equally rough at 32 percent from the field, 33 percent from deep and 50 percent from the line.

There are veterans who barely play at all but still hold down roster spots because of their presence in the locker room. Paul is not that type of player.

Reporting after his exit suggested that teammates and staff grew tired of his “acerbic” and “disparaging” feedback, which came off as “grating” in a veteran room. Leadership is valuable, but only if it fits the situation.

“You have to have a unique situation to bring in Paul,” one league executive told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “You have to think you’re one guy away and that you can deal with the other stuff that comes with it. Your internal discipline has to be strong. You have to accept the whole CP3 experience.”

Another front office source told Bulpett that Paul’s style is “part of what you get with him,” and could be more welcome in the right environment, especially if he offers more on the court than he did in Los Angeles.

“We looked at him after all this came down, but it wasn’t a long discussion,” the source said. He added that he could see Paul fitting with a team in the East.

“It’s wide open,” he said. “He could help a team like Orlando or maybe Detroit, where he could take some pressure off Cade Cunningham.”

The challenges go beyond personality and fit. Any team interested in Paul would have to navigate its cap situation, roster spots, coaching dynamic and locker-room chemistry. One player who had been with Paul summed it up best.

“Chris Paul is an acquired taste,” the source said. “He’s not everybody’s cup of tea.”

There is also the question of where Paul is willing to play. He chose the Clippers in the offseason because he wanted to be close to his family in Los Angeles. Would he consider an East Coast team? According to Spears, Paul will “cross that bridge when he gets there.”

Where that bridge leads is anyone’s guess. But Paul is determined to find at least one more stop.