Many were surprised when the Los Angeles Clippers announced that Chris Paul was no longer with the team, including his teammates James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, who expressed surprise at learning Paul had been sent home.
The Clippers decided to part ways with Paul after a reported three-hour discussion between Lawrence Frank, the president of basketball operations, and Paul at the team hotel in Atlanta before their game against the Hawks on Wednesday.
Frank emphasized that the decision to let Paul go was not due to a single incident; however, ESPN reported that the ongoing tension between Paul and head coach Ty Lue has been cited as a potential significant contributing factor, given how disruptive the relationship has been to the team.
‘I’m just as confused and shocked as everyone else in the world,’ Harden said after the Clippers defeated the Hawks on Wednesday, Nov. 3. ‘It definitely took me by surprise. It’s not just about Chris; there were many things we were dealing with. However, that’s out of my hands. I need to focus on what I can control. I suppose the front office believed that was the best decision for the organization.’
‘It was shocking to me,’ Leonard said. ‘I guess they had a conversation, and front office made a decision.’
Paul announced on social media earlier this month that he would retire from the NBA after 21 seasons.