Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has finally addressed reports about his relationship with Chris Paul. The Clippers announced they were cutting ties with Paul on Dec. 3, and NBA insider Shams Charania stated that his leadership style had clashed with the team.
Charania also mentioned that Lue and Paul hadn’t been on speaking terms in the weeks leading up to that decision, but the head coach dismissed the report when speaking to the media at Clippers practice on Tuesday.
“It ain’t true,” Lue said. “… We were talking. I mean, he played. How he going to play if I’m not talking to him? There was a stretch when we said he wasn’t going to play; he was going to be out of the rotation. It was tough for him because he’s a competitor, and what the game means to him and what he brings every single day. But after that, it wasn’t really much.”
Lue was then asked whether there was any truth to former Clipper Blake Griffin’s comment about Paul telling him the coach hadn’t spoken to him since the decision was made. The 48-year-old rather coldly stated that the future Hall of Famer hadn’t reached out to him either.
Lue also made it clear that he wasn’t part of the final conversation the Clippers had with Paul, prior to his being sent home from the team’s road trip in Atlanta. When asked why this situation was irreconciliable, the former NBA player pointed the finger at the Clippers’ front office.
“You gotta ask Lawrence,” Lue stated.
Lue was referring to the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, there. Here is the statement Frank released about the decision to part ways with Paul.
“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. 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.”
The Clippers had a woeful 5-16 record when Paul was told to leave. Former Clipper Lou Williams claimed the guard was holding everyone accountable amid the struggles, from the coaching staff to the front office. Williams added that Paul’s criticism of the front office at one point down the line was what broke the camel’s back.
Lue quite clearly is also trying to send the message across that he had nothing to do with the decision, and this was all about the front office.
“I had no problems with Chris,” Lue said. “I mean, when you say the guy’s a competitor, he wants to play, you can understand that. So, he was a little frustrated at first, but we got over that. We talked, and so, he said I haven’t talked to him. We had a 40-minute conversation on the phone. And that’s my guy, my friend before he got here. You don’t want to see that happen to anybody, no matter what the circumstances are.”
Lue was an assistant coach for the Clippers in the 2013-14 season, during Paul’s first stint with the team. The 12-time All-Star had revitalized the franchise following his arrival in 2011 and made them a contender in the West.
The Clippers didn’t win a championship with Paul, but by the time he left in 2017, he was regarded as arguably the greatest player in franchise history. So, his decision to return to the team this past summer on a one-year, $3.6 million deal was met with great joy.
Paul then announced in November that he would retire after the 2025-26 season, and ending his career as a Clipper seemed perfect. That is what made the team’s decision all the worse.
Paul, who averaged 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.7 steals per game in 2025-26, stated he is at peace with everything now. You wonder if we will get to see him in action in the NBA again.
