James Harden & Kawhi Leonard Left Stunned As Clippers Part Ways With Chris Paul

Both James Harden and Kawhi Leonard were left shocked after hearing the Los Angeles Clippers released Chris Paul.

In a bombshell announcement, Paul posted on his Instagram account in the early hours of Wednesday that he was being sent home, the same day the team prepared to play the Atlanta Hawks.

After the game, reporters asked Harden and Leonard about their reactions to the decision.

“I’m just as confused and shocked as you guys, the world,” Harden said. “Definitely surprised me. But not just Chris, it’s a lot that we were dealing with. But that is out of my hands.”

Leonard also couldn’t believe the news.

“It was shocking to me,” he said. “I guess they had a conversation, and front office made a decision.”

The victory on Wednesday ended a five-game losing run for the Clippers. However, the team sits 13th in the Western Conference with a 6-16 record.

The poor start to the season hasn’t gone to plan for Paul, who rejoined the team which he spent six seasons with between 2011 and 2017 in the summer. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Paul’s relationship with head coach Ty Lue began to worsen, with the two “not on speaking terms.” The sources also told ESPN that Paul’s presence began to become disruptive.

Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations for the Clippers, confirmed to ESPN that the team parted ways with the veteran point guard, but remains grateful for his contributions to the franchise.

“Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career,” Frank said. “I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we’ve struggled. We’re grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

Though released from the team, Paul cannot be officially eligible for a trade until Dec. 15 due to signing a one-year deal this past summer.