Stephon Castle, Spurs players shocked by Chris Paul’s decision from Los Angeles

LAS VEGAS, NV — Made by the LA Clippers an astonishing decision send Chris Paul home earlier this month during the team’s four-game road trip. After being a productive starter for the San Antonio Spurs last season, a future Hall of Famer it won’t be around the Clippers while working with him at a new destination.

Paul showed up in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup, sitting next to Spurs legend Tony Parker and watching his former San Antonio teammates take on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs won the contest and advanced to the NBA Cup Finals, which they later lost to the New York Knicks.

After the semi-final match, Chris Paul was seen in a hug Victor Wembanyama as well as some of his former teammates from Spurs. And it’s safe to say those former teammates were surprised to see how things played out with the LA Clippers.

CP3 🤝 Wembi #NBAonPrime pic.tvitter.com/HKSkIHcRZTR

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“He was a great leader for us last year,” the Spurs guard Stephen Castle Rookie of the Year last season, he told ClutchPoints. “Obviously, he took a point away from us in 82 games. I mean, being able to deal with anything during the season definitely helped me, especially as a rookie.”

“I’m super surprised by what happened with him (and the Clippers).”

Paul played sparingly for the LA Clippers this season, averaging just 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. However, he struggled to shoot the ball at just 32.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.

A heated confrontation with associate head coach Jeff Van Gundy after the Clippers’ loss to the Dallas Mavericks a month ago was the final straw, and the Clippers informed Paul he would be sent home midway through their four-game road trip.

“Yes, I was (very surprised)” Harrison Barnes he explained to ClutchPoints when the NBA Cup moved to Las Vegas. “Chris is probably one of my favorite teammates I’ve had in my career. I think he’s going to start and play 82 games last year at age 20. I think his voice and what he’s given to our locker room, we’re seeing the benefits of that this year. He was great for us last year.

“Obviously I wasn’t in that dressing room, I don’t know that situation, but I think it’s unfortunate that a player and a guy like him who has given so much to this game, who does the right things, who cares about winning at the highest level, is in that situation.

Paul started all 82 games for the Spurs last season, averaging 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals. He did so while playing 28 minutes a night, shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from three.

He clearly made an impact on his younger teammates during his season with the San Antonio Spurs.

“I think it’s very unfortunate how it played out.” Keldon Johnson added to ClutchPoints. “Chris has been a great vet not only for me, but for our team, and we’re just hoping that he gets things sorted out and things go in the right direction.”

Even the guard De’Aaron Foxwho was traded to the San Antonio Spurs midseason in a deal with the Sacramento Kings, said he’s grateful to be around Chris Paul and learn from him, even for just a short time.

“The end, I don’t know what happened at that point, so I don’t really have an opinion on it, and I don’t really care,” Fox said of the Clippers’ decision to send Paul home.

“But CP was great! He was a pro and he was a vet. As soon as I got here, he asked me where I wanted the ball, what places I liked, things of that nature. The things that you, I think you saw from him in his prime and when he was in New Orleans, when he first got to LA, those are the things that I expected from him and that I was that person that God called.

“I think he was great for the group last year, especially when he went through a lot of growing pains. I think everybody appreciated what he gave to the organization last year.”

Chris Paul hasn’t officially come out and announced that this will be his last year in the NBA, but he has posted several videos on social media showing him playing his last game in his home state of North Carolina, as well as a clip reminiscing about his Lob City Clippers days.

During his 21-year career, Paul played 1,370 regular season games averaging 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He ranks second all-time in both assists (12,552) and steals (2,728) behind only John Stockton. He also ranks 41st all-time in points scored with 23,058 points.