The Los Angeles Clippers are headlining news again – though not because of their success – after sending home 40-year-old Chris Paul. CP3 had announced he was going to retire at the end of the season, and the Clippers didn’t seem to care about respecting the legacy of one of their legends.
After the early morning news, James Harden didn’t appear to agree with the Clippers’ front office decision and said he was “confused and shocked.”
“I’m just as confused and shocked as you guys, the world,” Harden commented, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “Definitely surprised me. But not just Chris. It’s a lot that we’re dealing with. But that is out of my hands. I’ve got to focus on what I’ve got to focus on and what I can control. I guess the front office felt that was the best decision for the organization.”
I’m just as confused and shocked as you guys, the world.
Meanwhile, the other star of the team, Kawhi Leonard, was also surprised by the news: “It was shocking to me. I guess they had a conversation, and the front office made a decision.”
Chris Paul’s disagreement with Tyronn Lue
Paul joined the Clippers in July and signed a $3.6-million one-year deal with the team. LA reportedly dismissed CP3 after weeks of conflict between him and head coach Tyronn Lue.
The conflict was even addressed publicly by Lue. On Wednesday, he didn’t hesitate to say the Clippers weren’t a good fit for the future Hall of Famer.
The years have caught up with CP3, and this season he averaged career lows in points (2.9), assists (3.3), and minutes played (14.3) across 16 games.
The Clippers’ treatment of Chris Paul is reminiscent of the way Blake Griffin – another of the franchise’s biggest legends – ended his career with the LA team. Griffin wanted to retire a Clipper, and seven months after signing a five-year, $171 million deal to stay with the team, the Clippers traded him to Detroit.
The Clippers need to learn from their LA neighbors and treat their legends with the respect they deserve. Prior to the start of the season, CP3 revelead he “wanted to get back and play here (with LA Clippers) by any means necessary”
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