The Clippers’ second CP3 Era is officially over.
The Clippers sent the future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday as part of a three-team trade that included the Brooklyn Nets, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Clippers reportedly will receive the draft rights to 6-foot-6 forward Vana Marinkovic from the Nets and Ochai Agbaj will be sent to the Nets, along with cash, to complete the deal.
According to Charania, the Raptors will not require Paul, a 12-time All-Star, to report to the team, setting up possible trades before Thursday’s noon PT NBA trade deadline.
Paul, considered one of the greatest players in franchise history, had fallen out of favor with the team, clashing with coaches and personnel, and he was abruptly sent home to L.A. on Dec. 3 after a late-night meeting in Atlanta, where the team was set to play the Hawks.
At that time, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a text “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.”
To move on from Paul, the Clippers had to either waive him and pay out his $3.6 million salary, agree to a buyout or look to trade him, which they couldn’t do until Dec. 15. His locker at Intuit Dome had remained untouched for two months.
Paul, 40, had rejoined the Clippers last summer on a one-year contract, returning to the franchise he helped turn into a contender during his first six seasons in L.A. (2011-2017), reaching the playoffs each year. For him, this season was a chance to return home and finish his career where his family lives. He had intimated that he would retire at the end of this season, his 21st in the NBA.
He appeared in just 16 games this season, averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 assists in 14.3 minutes off the bench, a role he accepted when he joined the team in the summer.
