No Minutes, But A Banner? Chris Paul Lifts Lid On Brutal LA Clippers Farewell

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 13:47 IST

Chris Paul was more or less pushed to retire after 21 NBA seasons, following an awkward and puzzling end to his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris Paul has officially retired after 21 NBA seasons. The announcement came Friday, shortly after his release by the Toronto Raptors.

But his final chapter? That ended months earlier awkwardly with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers brought Paul back for what was billed as a farewell season. Instead, he was benched, sent home, and eventually traded to Toronto. For a player widely regarded as the greatest in franchise history, the optics weren’t great.

Appearing on 7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony, Paul shared fresh details about the exit and they raised eyebrows.

Leadership Praised Then Silenced

Paul revealed that Clippers GM Lawrence Frank once texted him an article praising his leadership.

“Man, this is great leadership right here," Frank wrote, according to Paul.

Yet during training camp, Paul says he was told not to give advice to younger players.

“Somebody came and told me they didn’t want me giving players advice," Paul said. “You were my assistant coach, I know you."

Then came the twist.

Paul said Frank told him his jersey deserved to be retired, just before informing him he was being sent home.

“Before I left the room, I asked him… ‘You said you was gonna get me a meeting with T-Lue, right?’ He said, ‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t do that. Go home.’"

No meeting with head coach Tyronn Lue. No storybook ending.

Paul’s résumé is secure: 12-time All-Star, assist king, future Hall of Famer. But the way it ended in LA, where he helped build relevance, will linger.

As for the Clippers? Their path forward still leans heavily on Kawhi Leonard. And that’s a gamble of its own.

News sports nba No Minutes, But A Banner? Chris Paul Lifts Lid On Brutal LA Clippers Farewell

Read More