The Los Angeles Clippers have stumbled out of the gate this season, falling to 5-16 after their latest loss to the Miami Heat. In the middle of this rough stretch, the team made a surprising move, sending veteran point guard Chris Paul home and effectively cutting ties with the 12-time All-Star. The decision didn’t sit well with many, and now the real reason may finally be coming to light.

“Chris Paul and his leadership style clashed with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN,” NBA insider Shams Charania reported recently. “Paul has been vocal in holding management, coaches, and players accountable, which the team felt became disruptive. Specifically: Ty Lue was not on speaking terms with Paul for several weeks.”

This is massive because in the team’s official statement, the president of basketball, Lawrence Frank, suggested that Chris Paul’s exit had nothing to do with the team’s poor form!

But now, Shams Charania’s report has completely thrown that reasoning out of the window. Also, Paul only joined the team this summer on a one-year, $3.6 million deal, following his departure from the Spurs after two seasons.

The Point God wanted to end his illustrious career close to his family and with a team where he arguably played some of his best basketball previously. However, it seems like CP3’s vocal leadership did not fare well with head coach Tyronn Lue, and as a result, both were no longer on speaking terms for the past few weeks.

Chris Paul has been infamous for his winning mentality. Moreover, this ‘holding players accountable’ allegation cannot be ruled out, as this is CP’s old habit. Now, while most of the teams he’s been part of have never had any problems with his style of leadership, but because this Clippers team is quite seasoned, some players might’ve taken Paul’s criticism to heart, instead of understanding the situation.

In fact, former NBA player Lou Williams pointed that out while speaking on Run It Back, as he revealed more details on the lines of what ESPN’s Shams Charania stated.

“What I’ve gathered that brought an end to this abruptly was that there were a few scenarios in which CP was holding people accountable. From players to staff to the front office. From what I understand, there was a situation where he even addressed the team and apologized and said, ‘Look, my criticisms are coming from a good place, and I want us to be a good team, I want us to get this right,'” Williams said.

No matter the reasons, by the looks of it, this doesn’t sit well with the Clippers’ long-term brand image, because Chris Paul isn’t just any player, but one with two decades of NBA stories. Additionally, the timing is crucial here.

The 40-year-old had already announced that this would be his final season in the league. Now, both the Clippers and Chris Paul are in far from ideal situations, which makes you think what’s next for them?

What’s next for the Clippers and Chris Paul?

Well, even though the Point God’s final season might not be the fairytale ending he hoped for, there’s still a lot to look forward to for him. That’s because, as things stand, the LA Clippers haven’t waived him. While the franchise has officially confirmed that it has parted ways with Chris Paul, they are still weighing their options, and so will he.

There are three possibilities for the Clippers. Firstly, they can waive CP3 and eat his entire $3.6 million contract. Another such possibility will be that of a buyout, which would require the franchise to pay out Paul whatever amount both of them agree on. Lastly, and probably the easiest route for LA would be to trade the 12-time All-Star.

It makes the most sense for them because they are the first apron team and cannot sign a 15th player. Moreover, they won’t be able to replace Chris Paul with another free agent for at least two weeks if they choose to waive him. So a trade seems like a win-win situation for both. More so, because the great part is that several teams might be interested in Chris Paul, who wants to continue his farewell tour.

Even though the veteran is just a shell of his old self, he’s still in some demand, with teams like the Dallas Mavericks, OKC Thunder, and even the Houston Rockets reportedly monitoring his situation in Southern California. Now, it will be worth seeing what the Clippers do next and how that will affect Chris Paul’s final season in the NBA.