Chris Paul revealed the exact moment he decided to retire from the NBA. After being released by the Clippers, he set a personal deadline: if he wasn't on a team by All-Star Weekend, he would walk away.
Chris Paul did not let the situation drag on. After being released by the Los Angeles Clippers in December, the veteran point guard kept working. He stayed in game shape, ran drills, and waited for a call from a contender. But behind the scenes, Paul had already set a clear limit.
Los Angeles Clippers / Schedule
Speaking on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, the 12–time All-Star explained when he knew it would be over.
"When all that stuff happened, I trained and worked out, obviously, I was in Atlanta. I had a whole bunch of my family in Atlanta for that game. My brother happened to be there, a few of my homies," said Paul.
The Clippers had just let him go before their matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. It was not the farewell season he expected in Los Angeles.
Instead of reacting with frustration, Paul stayed locked in. He kept preparing like a true floor general, believing another team might need a steady hand to run the offense.
"Then we flew back, and I was working out and training, and I talked to a few of my friends, and I was like, 'I'm going to give myself a deadline. If I'm not on a team by a certain point, All-Star (Weekend), I'll be done with it.'"
Paul gave himself until All-Star Weekend. If no team signed him by then, he would step away from the NBA.
At the February trade deadline, he was dealt to the Toronto Raptors in a three–team trade that included the Brooklyn Nets.
The Raptors waived him shortly after. Despite rumors about possible fits with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs, no deal came.
He walks away after 20 NBA seasons with career averages of 16.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.
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