Future Hall of Famer Chris Paul offered a candid account of his final NBA season, revealing how his brief return to the LA Clippers ended during an appearance on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast.
Paul, 40, said the message from the front office shifted quickly after he rejoined the franchise on a one-year deal to open the 2025-26 campaign.
“Early in the season, Lawrence Frank sent me an article about how great my leadership was,” Paul said. “Man this is great leadership right here. I’ve never seen anything like it. You saw I was.”
He then pointed to the timing of that praise.
“Lawrence Frank told me I was being a great leader a week before he sent me home,” Paul said.
The veteran guard described the decision as sudden.
“I knew I wasn’t getting to play at that point. It was just abrupt,” Paul said. “You know what I mean? I believe in communication.”
Paul explained that his preseason involvement centered on mentorship rather than on-court responsibility.
“From training camp for a while, somebody came, but it was just giving players advice,” he said.
He also shared his reaction to the organization’s direction.
“I was like, if this organization has any sort of sense, that’s a given,” Paul said.
The 12-time All-Star said the conversation eventually turned to his long-term legacy with the franchise.
“We are gonna retire your jersey, but you are no longer needed,” Paul said.
He closed the sequence with a direct recollection of the exchange.
“I asked him. He said ‘go home’,” Paul said.
The Clippers later traded Paul to the Toronto Raptors at the February 4 deadline, and Toronto waived him nine days later. The move effectively ended his 21-year NBA career.
Paul officially announced on November 22, 2025, that he would retire at the end of the season, doing so before a game in his home state of North Carolina against the Charlotte Hornets. He later posted a video on Instagram reflecting on his journey.
In his final season, the point guard averaged 2.5 points, 3.8 assists and 0.8 steals in 14.8 minutes per game across 18 appearances split between Los Angeles and Toronto. His role shifted to reserve and mentor as both teams prioritized younger rotations.
Even with the limited minutes, Paul’s career résumé stands among the league’s most decorated. He retires second all-time in assists (12,532) and steals (2,727), trailing only John Stockton in both categories, with 12 All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA honors.
