Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden had grown weary of Chris Paul’s constant critiques before the team sent the veteran guard home this week, according to reporting from Ashish Mathur of Dallas Hoops Journal.
Sources told Mathur that Paul had been openly and repeatedly criticizing players, coaches and front office staff, creating tension that steadily built through the opening weeks of the season.
Leonard initially welcomed Paul’s feedback out of respect for his career, but the commentary became so frequent that he began to view it as “nagging,” sources said.
Harden, who played with Paul in Houston, was skeptical of the fit from the start. According to Mathur, the Clippers approached Harden over the summer about adding Paul, and the former MVP was hesitant because of their rocky history with the Rockets.
Harden eventually pushed Houston to move Paul in 2019, preferring to pair with Russell Westbrook.
Despite publicly saying they were “shocked” by the Clippers’ decision to part ways with Paul, both Leonard and Harden were aware it was coming and supported the move, sources told Mathur.
Paul appeared in 16 games this season and averaged 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 32.1 percent from the field. The Clippers cannot trade him until December 15. To move on sooner, they would need to waive him or negotiate a buyout of his $3.6 million salary.
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