Clippers launch Chris Paul in the course of his ultimate season

The underperforming Clippers say they may work with Chris Paul on the ‘subsequent step of his profession’ as they half methods with the veteran guard, who’s retiring on the finish of the season

With the Los Angeles Clippers struggling and veteran guard Chris Paul making little influence, the workforce launched the 12-time All-Star on Wednesday, December 3.

The Clippers (5-16) knowledgeable Paul of his launch in Atlanta, the place the membership will look to snap a five-game dropping skid on Wednesday towards the Hawks.

Paul, 40, introduced previous to this season — his twenty first within the NBA — that it will be his final.

“We’re parting methods with Chris and he’ll not be with the workforce,” Clippers president Lawrence Frank stated in an announcement, by way of ESPN. “We are going to work with him on the following step of his profession.”

“Chris is a legendary Clipper who had a historic profession. I wish to make one factor very clear. Nobody is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I settle for accountability for the document now we have proper now. There are a whole lot of the reason why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the influence Chris has made on the franchise.”

Paul confirmed the information himself on his Instagram account.

“Simply came upon I’m being despatched dwelling,” Paul wrote.

Signed to a one-year, $3.6 million contract final offseason, Paul rejoined a franchise with which he spent six seasons from 2011-17. This season, he averaged 2.9 factors, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 16 video games off the bench.

Paul ranks second in NBA historical past in assists with 12,552 and second in steals with 2,728, trailing solely Basketball Corridor of Famer John Stockton in each classes.

Paul, then with New Orleans, was named Rookie of the 12 months in 2006. He’s a four-time All-NBA First Workforce choice, five-time NBA assists champion, and six-time steals champion.

A member of seven First Workforce All-Defensive Groups, he additionally was the MVP of the 2013 All-Star Sport. Paul was named to the NBA’s seventy fifth anniversary workforce in 2021 and gained Olympic gold medals with america in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

He performed with New Orleans for six seasons, then was traded to the Clippers in 2011. He later performed for the Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-23), Golden State Warriors (2023-24), and San Antonio Spurs (2024-25).

Paul has profession averages of 16.8 factors, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and a couple of.0 steals in 1,370 (1,314 begins). He has not gained an NBA title, attending to the NBA Finals solely as soon as, when his Suns misplaced to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. – Rappler.com