The big NBA news Wednesday, Dec. 3, was not that of a blockbuster trade or team-altering injury.
Instead, NBA fans got word that the Los Angeles Clippers opted to part ways future Hall of Fame "Point God" Chris Paul in the middle of his farewell tour.
The news did not reflect well on the Clippers, a franchise that can ill-afford bad PR at the moment.
On ESPN’s Instagram post breaking the news, fans were not too happy about how the Clips treated the 40-year-old legend.
“Maybe the most disrespectful thing you can do to your all time best player during his farewell tour,” one fan commented to the tune of more than 31,000 likes at the time of writing.
“The Clippers! They don’t retire jerseys. They retire hope!” another wrote.
“He’s definitely not the reason why they suck but to cut him on his retirement tour is a new low for that organization,” another comment reads.
“The level of disrespect is unprecedented,” reads another.
Chris Paul got waived at 3 AM in the middle of his farewell tour by the Clippers where he’s recognized as an all time franchise player. Have we ever seen someone done this dirty 😭 https://t.co/jwwNnPKVoy pic.twitter.com/iGEjmqIPP5
— Bino (@AnimeGuru100) December 3, 2025
Needless to say, this was a supremely unpopular decision from a franchise that’s already under fire. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is being sued by investors over the Kawhi Leonard deal, and the league is reportedly “in a panic” because the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder own the rights to pick swap with the struggling Clippers in 2026. That could deliver OKC another high lottery pick, especially if anything happens to James Harden, who’s been carrying the Clippers with Leonard sidelined.
The Clips have a lot of problems, and it’s hard to argue CP3 was among the biggest.
Now aged 40, Paul no doubt struggled in LA this season. To be fair, he’s not been the same guy for the past three seasons since his time with the Phoenix Suns came to an end and Father Time started catching up.
In 16 games played this year for LA, Paul averaged 2.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 32.1% from the field and 33.3% from long range. Nearly all of those marks are career worsts.
Still, Paul meant a great deal to the franchise and fan base for his first stint with the team when he made five consecutive All-Star teams while racking up All-NBA and All-Defense nods. Paul signed a one-year minimum contract to return to LAC for a farewell tour in 2025-26, and he didn’t even make it to the 2026 part.
It is, at least for now, a sad end to a legendary career.
CP3 wasn’t with the Suns for very long compared to the Clippers and New Orleans Hornets, but he still made a big impact deep into his 30s.
Here’s a look back at his Suns stint:
Chris Paul’s stats with Phoenix Suns
After being acquired via trade from Oklahoma City along with Abdel Nader for Ty Jerome, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick, Paul made an immediate impact for the Suns franchise a la Charles Barkley.
In his first season in Phoenix after being traded to the desert, just like “Sir Charles” before him, Paul’s Suns reached the NBA Finals. It was the franchise’s first finals appearance since Barkley’s team did it in 1993. The Suns ultimately lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
During that season, Paul averaged 16.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 49.9% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point territory. His 93.4% shooting from the foul line was the best mark in the league. He finished fifth in MVP voting, made his 11th All-Star team and the All-NBA Second Team.
The backcourt of Paul and Devin Booker, flanked by talented wings Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder with former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton in the post nearly guided Phoenix to its first-ever championship.
The following year at age 36, Paul averaged 14.7 points, 10.8 assists (leading the league), 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 49.3% from the field and 31.7% from beyond the arc.
Outside of the 3-point shooting efficiency and free-throw shooting masterclass, Paul was essentially the same guy in year two with the Suns. He finished ninth in MVP voting, made his 12th and, presumably, final All-Star team along with All-NBA Third Team.
All told, over the course of three seasons in The Valley, Paul averaged 15.1 points, 9.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
His 93.4% free throw shooting in 2020-21 is the second-best mark in Suns franchise history behind only Steve Nash’s 2009-10 charity stripe mastery of 93.8%.
While a reunion between the two parties seems farfetched, perhaps Paul will get one last ride with the Thunder, who’ve been busy dismantling the league to the tune of a 21-1 record at the time of writing.
In any case, Suns fans will always appreciate the Point God for his short tenure in Phoenix.
That 2021 NBA Finals run will live on, even if the Suns did fall just short.