ATLANTA — LA Clippers stars James Harden and Kawhi Leonard were “shocked” when they found out Wednesday morning that Chris Paul would no longer be their teammate.
The Clippers made the stunning overnight decision to part ways with Paul after a three-hour late-night conversation between Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and Paul at the team hotel in Atlanta.
Harden and Leonard couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the news on their phones.
“I’m just as confused and shocked as you guys, the world,” Harden said Wednesday night after the Clippers beat the Atlanta Hawks 115-92 to snap a five-game losing streak. “Definitely surprised me. But not just Chris, it’s a lot that we were dealing with. But that is out of my hands. I got to focus on what I got to focus on and what I can control. I guess the front office felt that was the best decision for the organization.”
Leonard said he almost had to reread the news.
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“It was shocking to me,” Leonard said. “I guess they had a conversation, and front office made a decision.”
Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania that Paul was not on speaking terms with Clippers coach Ty Lue for several weeks before the veteran point guard’s abrupt ouster.
Paul and his leadership style clashed with Lue and the Clippers, according to sources, who told Charania that the 12-time All-Star was vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable. The Clippers believed Paul’s style had become disruptive, sources told Charania.
Frank said Wednesday that the organization’s decision to part with Paul did not stem from one isolated incident and that the sides had more than one conversation before Paul was informed he would no longer be a part of the team.
Lue was asked whether Paul’s departure helps the Clippers.
“I don’t think it necessarily helped our team,” Lue said before Wednesday’s game. “I mean, I don’t think the reason why we’re 5-16 is because of CP’s play. I just think that it wasn’t a good fit for what he was looking for. Do I want to see CP go out like this? No, I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been a friend of mine over the years, and you don’t want to see a great go out like this.
“I’m pretty sure he will find something because he’s a great player. [But] I didn’t want to see it end like this.”
Paul, one of the greatest players in Clippers franchise history, will retire at the end of this season, his 21st in the NBA, sources told Charania.
“Don’t have a side [in this],” Lue said. “I don’t like it. It just didn’t work out like we thought it would. I don’t like it for CP. It just wasn’t a good fit, and we understood that. It was an organization [decision], they made the choice, and so moving forward, we got to see what we do.”
For now, the Clippers and Paul are in a holding pattern, despite the guard being sent home to Los Angeles. Because Paul signed a one-year, $3.6 million contract in July, he is not eligible to be traded until Dec. 15 at the earliest.
Waiving him outright is more complicated. Because the Clippers are $1.3 million below the first apron and are not allowed to exceed it in any transaction, they are unable to sign a replacement unless they convert two-way player Kobe Sanders. By league rules, a team is not allowed to fall below 14 players for 14 consecutive days.
The Clippers and Paul could entertain a buyout of his remaining salary. However, that would require a team to have a roster spot to sign him. Of the 10 teams with a spot available, only the Hawks are not impacted by the luxury tax and apron.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks contributed to this report.
