The Los Angeles Clippers made a stunning move late Tuesday night, cutting ties with Chris Paul in the middle of a road trip and sending home one of the franchise's all-time greats.
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Paul broke the news himself on Instagram, telling fans he "just found out I'm being sent home" from Atlanta, where the Clippers are scheduled to face the Hawks on Wednesday.
A short time later, team executive Lawrence Frank confirmed the decision to The Athletic and said the organization will work with Paul on "the next step of his career."
It's a harsh ending for a player who helped define the Lob City era and remains one of the most influential guards of his generation. The Clippers are 5-16 and searching for answers, but Frank insisted Paul is not the scapegoat.
"Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career," Frank said. "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."
Paul, now 40, was coming off the bench and averaging about 15 minutes a night, posting three points, three assists and two rebounds per game. The production wasn't what it once was, but many around the league expected his second stint in L.A. to end more gracefully.
Instead, the Clippers are moving on and Paul is suddenly a free agent in December. At this point, it would be a surprise if he doesn't land somewhere else before eventually heading to Springfield.
