The Los Angeles Clippers stunned the NBA – and Chris Paul – in the wee hours of the night following Tuesday’s action on the court. The franchise elected to abruptly part ways with the 40-year-old point guard, who is also considered one of the greatest players in franchise history and previously announced this would be his final NBA season before retirement.
Paul posted on Instagram around 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 3 that he was being sent home following the Clippers’ road loss to the Miami Heat. It was the team’s fifth consecutive loss, and 14th defeat over the past 16 games, after the Clippers (5-16) entered this season as a potential Western Conference contender.
The decision could mean Los Angeles waives Paul and pays out his $3.6 million salary, or the team could try to trade him after Dec. 15. There’s also a possibility of a buyout. But Paul’s immediate future is now up in the air, with a variety of options for how this might unfold.
Paul said prior to signing with the Clippers this season that he wanted to be near Los Angeles where his family lives after playing for the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs since 2017. The market for him could be complicated by Paul’s age and diminishing returns, as well as the league’s luxury tax and salary cap rules. He was averaging career lows in minutes, points and assists while shooting a career-worst 32.1% from the field for the Clippers.
There are teams who currently have open roster spots, though. Here’s a breakdown of some potential landing spots for Paul after the Clippers’ shocking move to send him home in the midst of the 2025-26 season:
Los Angeles Lakers
This would represent an ideal ending for Paul. He can stay in Los Angeles with his family and he finally gets to play alongside his good friend, LeBron James, in the NBA for the first time as they chase a title together the rest of the season. The Lakers also have an open roster spot but are not allowed to sign a new player until next month.
The problem, of course, is the Lakers don’t necessarily need a pass-first lead guard who isn’t the best defensive option at this juncture, playing with a ball-dominant star such as Luka Doncic (who also isn’t a great defensive player). The story would likely be better than the on-court production, with Paul finally ending up on the Lakers almost 15 years after former NBA commissioner David Stern famously vetoed a trade that would have sent Paul from the New Orleans Hornets to the Lakers.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves are already relying on one of the league’s oldest players at point guard with Mike Conley, so why not add another veteran to the mix? Rob Dillingham, the team’s 2024 first-round pick, isn’t developing quickly enough for a group that’s coming off consecutive Western Conference finals appearances. Conley and Paul (or the version of Paul that played in San Antonio last year), former rivals when the Grizzlies once faced the Clippers in memorable playoff series a decade ago, could make a run together in support of Anthony Edwards.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets are lacking a veteran point guard after the offseason injury to Fred VanVleet. Second-year guard Reed Sheppard has improved as this season has gone along, but Houston doesn’t have a true point guard option behind him. Paul could be a serviceable insurance policy for the rest of the season if he can return closer to the level of play he showed in San Antonio last year, and if he’s willing to leave Southern California to return to one of his former teams. Like the Lakers, they wouldn’t be able to sign Paul until next month.
Boston Celtics
The Celtics never replaced guard Jrue Holliday after trading him during the offseason, instead using Derrick White and Payton Pritchard as the team’s primary ballhandlers during a start to the 2025-26 season that has been better than anticipated with Jayson Tatum out. If Tatum returns near the end of the season, would the Celtics want a veteran point guard option for the postseason push and the playoffs?
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks are playing well with Trae Young injured thanks to young star Jalen Johnson and a much-improved defense. Atlanta also has an open roster spot and currently sits beneath the NBA’s luxury tax. Importing a veteran to guide this group through the wide-open Eastern Conference isn’t the worst idea, especially as trade rumors swirl around Young in his absence.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are desperate to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. Would the infusion of a veteran such as Paul keep him appeased in the midst of a rough patch for Milwaukee? It didn’t work with Damian Lillard and Ryan Rollins has been a pleasant surprise at point guard for the Bucks this season. But having Paul on the roster to support Rollins and guard Kevin Porter Jr. could potentially be helpful.
Oklahoma City Thunder
This is maybe the most far-fetched option because the Thunder don’t have a need for Paul, even as they deal with some injuries at the moment. But this would be more about doing Paul a solid and allowing him to pursue an elusive first NBA championship before he retires with a star (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) he helped mentor in Oklahoma City once before.
The couch
An unfortunate, but realistic, scenario is that Paul has already played his final NBA game, especially if he’s not willing to leave Southern California. It would make what the Clippers decided to do particularly ruthless. The reality is Father Time had caught up to Paul and it was becoming clear during the first month of this season. There are still glimpses of his past greatness here and there – an eight-assist game on Nov, 22, for instance – but there might not be enough anymore to justify trading for him, or even signing him off the scrap heap.