Report: Ty Lue And Chris Paul Got Into A Tense Situation Prior To CP3's Release

The entire NBA community was shocked to learn this week that Chris Paul had been released by the Los Angeles Clippers before he could even complete his retirement tour. Now, more details are coming to light regarding the Point God’s departure from the City of Angels.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Ohm Youngmisuk reported that Paul had not been on speaking terms with Clippers head coach Ty Lue for weeks prior to his abrupt exit. Apparently, there had been tension brewing between the two men this season.

Additional reporting from The Athletic offered more insight on the root of this tension, which appears to have been Paul’s assertive brand of leadership. Lue and his coaching staff were reportedly “at wits’ end” with the 21-year veteran, who was said to have been vocal in terms of pointing out the team’s areas for improvement.

Even some of Paul’s teammates were allegedly fed up; The Athletic reports that these players “took exception with his disparaging tone.” It’s worth noting, of course, that CP3 has been a reputed taskmaster throughout his career, fearlessly voicing his thoughts on what it takes for players and teams to get to the next level.

Meanwhile, Youngmisuk has provided details on the moment that Paul found out about his release. According to Youngmisuk, Paul had a lengthy conversation with Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank while the team waited for a flight from Miami to Atlanta.

The conversation was described as “emotional at times,” and ultimately, Paul did not board the plane to Atlanta. Instead, he would be flown back to Los Angeles, leading him to post an Instagram story in the wee hours of Wednesday: “Just found out I’m being sent home.”

In a media availability on Thursday, Lue publicly addressed the issue for the first time. “I just think it wasn’t a good fit for what he was looking for,” the Clippers head coach told reporters. “It is what it is.”

Lue, who was an eight-year veteran with the Atlanta Hawks when Paul was selected third overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, added that he wasn’t comfortable with how everything turned out. “Do I want to see CP go out like this? No. I have a lot of respect for him,” he stated. “He’s been a friend of mine over the years.”

In the coming days, it’s possible that Paul will air out his side of the story once and for all. No matter what the future Hall of Famer says, this ugly set of circumstances in Tinseltown has added to an already murky situation with the Clippers.