Former Clippers Guard Chris Paul Confirms Decision on NBA Future

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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 04: Chris Paul #3 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Intuit Dome on November 04, 2025 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Clippers made the decision to trade Chris Paul before the trade deadline. He hadn’t been with the team for weeks, as he had essentially been banished. After that move, LA suddenly became one of the hottest teams in the NBA.

Paul signed with the Clippers in the offseason for one final season in the NBA. It was supposed to be a nice send-off after he brought the Clippers into relevance in the league. Instead, it turned out as bad as any recent signing in free agency history.

Paul was traded to the Toronto Raptors before the trade deadline. It was expected that he would be waived, which happened on Friday. After that, Paul made a decision on his NBA future to no longer play basketball.

GettyLos Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul dribbles the ball. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Former Clippers Guard Chris Paul Announces Retirement

Instead of trying to latch on with another team for the stretch run of the season, Paul has decided to retire from the NBA. He finishes his career after playing 21 seasons in the league. Without a clear path to a championship or solid playing time, Paul has decided to hang it up.

Paul was the last remaining player from the 2005 NBA Draft, of which he was the fourth overall pick. While Paul played for seven different teams, not counting the brief few days he was on the Raptors’ roster, he is most known for his time in Los Angeles.

While with the Clippers, Paul helped turn them into NBA title contenders. They were never able to reach the Western Conference Finals with him on the roster, though. Still, he helped turn the Clippers into a desirable destination for free agents.

Including this year, Paul played seven seasons with the Clippers. Eventually, he will be welcomed back with open arms by the organization. It might take a while after how this year finished for him.

GettyLos Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul dribbles the ball. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Clippers Handled the Chris Paul Situation Poorly

After such a terrible start to the season, the Clippers continued to handle the Chris Paul situation poorly. Despite how well they played before trading James Harden, they likely won’t make the playoffs. They won’t have their first-round pick, either.

Right now, the Clippers have the 11th-worst defense in the league. Teams don’t win titles with defenses that bad. Instead of keeping Paul and giving the fans more of a reason to show up, they decided to banish him. He will end his career in the worst possible way.

Paul is a no-doubt Hall of Fame player. He is one of the greatest point guards in the history of the league, and will be honored as such in time. It’s unclear what is next for Paul, but he could try to get into coaching. He has one of the best basketball minds of the modern generation.

Meanwhile, the Clippers try to pull off a miracle for the rest of the year.

Ryan Stano Ryan Stano covers the NBA for Heavy.com. He has been covering sports since 2017, covering the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, and the NBA. His work has been featured on Yahoo, Bleacher Report, FanSided, and Sports Illustrated. More about Ryan Stano