Chris Paul sent home: NBA world reacts to future Hall of Famer's abrupt split with Clippers

Clippers send Chris Paul home in shocking move

It was announced overnight that Chris Paul is no longer with the Clippers.

LOS ANGELES - The sports world was stunned after it was announced overnight that future Hall of Famer Chris Paul is no longer with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

It's a move that sparked strong reactions on social media as well as across sports media. 

What we know:

Chris Paul’s return to the Clippers was supposed to be a welcome homecoming for the 12-time NBA All-Star’s final season. Instead, he was given limited time on the court and in some games, he didn’t play at all despite being available. 

During the overnight hours, Paul shared on his Instagram story that he was abruptly sent home and then Lawrence Frank, the Clippers president of basketball operations, said in a statement to ESPN that Paul was no longer with the team. 

The Clippers are currently on the road and play the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. 

RELATED: Chris Paul no longer with Clippers in shocking move

(Getty Images)

What they're saying:

"That's a really rough way to end a legendary career. Sending him home mid-road trip in his final season feels unnecessarily harsh given everything he did for that franchise," one fan wrote on X.

"That’s a whole new level of disrespect," another fan added. 

Lou Williams, another treasured player in Clippers history, shared his theory on Wednesday morning’s episode of "Run It Back" on FanDuel TV.

"There were a few scenarios where CP was holding people accountable, from players to staff… up to the front office," he said. "There was a situation where he even addressed the team and apologized and said his criticism was coming from a good place."

"For a player who’s going to go down as a Hall of Famer, for somebody who’s possibly going to have the opportunity to be the first jersey retired in the rafters over at the Intuit Dome…this is just a sour way to go out. It looks bad on the Clippers' part to do this…it looks bad for all parties involved," Williams concluded. 

"How the hell do you do this to Chris Paul?" ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith asked on Wednesday’s episode of "First Take." 

"I don’t give a damn what’s going on with the team right now. They’re trash right now," Smith continued. "That organization right now is a mess." 

"To do this to CP3…don’t tell me he deserves this," Smith said.

Like Williams, he also alluded to Paul holding players like Kawhi Leonard accountable. 

"Chris Paul, a future Hall of Famer I expected to be the first Clipper to get his jersey retired one day, getting sent home at this stage is one of the most astonishing things I’ve seen covering this league," Marc J. Spears wrote on X. 

The backstory:

Paul is highly respected across the league and served as the president of the National Basketball Players Association from 2013 to 2021.

The 12-time NBA All-Star was the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft and was playing in his 21st season before the abrupt move.