ATLANTA — Chris Paul was not on speaking terms with LA Clippers coach Ty Lue for several weeks before the veteran point guard’s abrupt ouster from the team, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that the organization’s decision to part ways with Paul did not come from one isolated incident, and that the sides had multiple conversations before Paul was informed he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move Wednesday.
Paul and his leadership style clashed with Lue and the Clippers, according to sources, who told Charania that the 12-time All-Star was vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable.
The Clippers felt that Paul’s style had become disruptive, sources told Charania.
“This decision had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting that did or did not happen,” Frank said. “Some of our business, respectfully have to keep in-house, but this didn’t come down to just a one incident and one meeting.
“It just wasn’t the right fit. … We had conversations with Chris throughout, even before we started — call it the onboarding process — and throughout. So this isn’t like an isolated one-conversation decision. No, these are fluid throughout.”
Frank said two days ago, he set up a meeting with Paul to take place when the team arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Clippers’ game against the Hawks.
But the Clippers were delayed in Miami for six hours because of mechanical issues with the plane and did not arrive to Atlanta until late. Frank said he let Paul know of the team’s decision during a three-hour talk which was emotional at times.
Paul, one of the greatest players in Clippers franchise history, posted to social media at nearly 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday that he learned he was being sent home to Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, Frank texted a statement to ESPN confirming that Paul will no longer be with the team.
“There’s a ton of history between Chris — not just with the franchise but with me,” Frank said of why the conversation took so long and went so late into the night. “I had a ton of conversation with Chris leading up to this. I’m a very, very direct person and going through all the different plausible things. Chris and I have had conversations throughout.
“So someone that you care about, someone that means a great deal with the organization — it’s not going to be a five-minute ‘Moneyball’ meeting. There’s a lot there, there’s a lot things to talk through and explain and there’s a lot of emotion. And there’s disagreements. Chris sees it differently than how I see it. And you talk through those things, you’re not going to agree on those things, but it’s the relationships that you have.”
Clippers coach Ty Lue was asked if Paul’s departure helps the Clippers.
“I don’t think it necessarily helped our team,” Lue said before Wednesday’s game. “I mean I don’t think the reason why we’re 5-16 is because of CP’s play. I just think that it wasn’t a good fit for what he was looking for. 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 and you don’t want to see a great go out like this. But I’m pretty sure he will find something because he’s a great player. [But] I didn’t want to see it end like this.”
While the Clippers are off to a massively disappointing start, Frank said Lue will continue to be the coach for a long time.
“Because the significance of what Chris means to the organization, these are very, very, very hard decisions,” Frank said. “And ultimately it’s my job to do what’s best for the organization, do what’s best for the team, even if it’s not popular.
“I just want to reemphasize we’re 5-16. I completely own that. I’m not putting that on Chris Paul at all. This is not a situation where I’m using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I’ve done. Chris’ legacy with us stands, this situation just didn’t work out at this time.”
Paul, 40, had rejoined the Clippers in late July on a one-year deal in what was a chance to return home and finish his career with the franchise he spent six seasons with, from 2011 to 2017. Sources told Charania last month that Paul is retiring at the end of this season, his 21st year in the NBA.
Paul is the Clippers’ franchise leader in total assists and steals per game. After he started 1,314 of 1,354 career games, including all 82 games last season for the San Antonio Spurs, Paul’s role was to come off the bench with the Clippers, understanding he might not play every night. He had played in 16 games, averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes.
This is the second time that the Clippers have had a difficult and abrupt ending with one of their all-time star players from the Lob City era. In July 2017, Blake Griffin signed a five-year, $171 million deal with the Clippers but was traded to the Detroit Pistons later that season in January when the team decided to go in a different direction.
