Chris Paul being told to go home did not sit well with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who called the Clippers' handling of the situation "bush league" and "flat-out disrespectful."
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Paul was abruptly removed from the roster plan in the middle of the night on Wednesday. Hours later, Smith lit into the Clippers on First Take, saying the franchise had no business treating a future Hall of Famer that way.
"How the hell do you do this to Chris Paul," Smith said. "This is a future Hall of Famer who came there for his last year. I don't give a damn what's going on with the team. They're trash right now. We understand that."
Paul, a franchise icon from the original Lob City years, said he was denied a meeting with head coach Tyronn Lue and simply told it "didn't work out." The Clippers are 6-16 and stuck near the bottom of the West.
"How the hell do you do this to Chris Paul? ... He doesn't deserve this."@stephenasmith weighs in on the Clippers parting ways with Chris Paul 👀 pic.twitter.com/L7oUqPZtOF
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 3, 2025
Smith also pointed to a larger issue in Los Angeles. He believes Kawhi Leonard, not Paul, has been the bigger problem for the organization.
"They have the worst superstar in the sport," Smith said. "A talent when healthy, no doubt, but he does nothing to promote his team or the game. From what I've been told, the only person who really talks to him is CP3. Nobody else talks to him."
The Clippers won their first game after the separation, knocking off the Hawks, but the franchise remains in chaos and cannot tank because of the haul of picks they owe Oklahoma City from the Paul George trade.
Paul is averaging 2.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in limited minutes. It is unclear where he will land next, though the Knicks have reportedly discussed the possibility internally.
