The Clippers did not have much time to process the departure of Chris Paul before stepping onto the floor in Atlanta.
The news broke so suddenly that by the evening, fans inside State Farm Arena were already weaving it into the atmosphere of the game.
When Ivica Zubac lined up for a pair of free throws, the crowd broke into a chant that felt more like a taunt than a question: Where’s Chris Paul?
Zubac stayed focused and converted both attempts, but the reaction around him made it clear that everyone knew what had unfolded earlier in the day. Even with the noise, the Clippers settled into a rhythm and eventually secured a 115-92 victory, a result that might have landed differently had the off-court drama carried onto the court.
Paul himself had revealed the shakeup in a brief Instagram Story posted hours before tipoff, saying,
“Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” punctuating it with a peace sign emoji.
Clippers executives defend the veteran guard and clarify their decision
Before the game, team president Lawrence Frank addressed the situation, careful to emphasize that Paul was not shouldering the blame for the team’s rocky 6-16 start. To hear him tell it, the responsibility lies elsewhere.
“This is not the type of Clipper basketball we’re used to seeing,” Frank said. “I own this. But we need to come and play with a whole lot more care, fight, resilience, resolve. We’re capable of being better, and I’m confident we will be better.”
Frank confirmed Paul‘s departure in a formal statement circulated to several outlets.
“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team,” he said.
“We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”
Read the full article here
