The Clippers play the Grizzlies tonight, and will do it without franchise legend Chris Paul, who has been banished from the team. I wrote about both situations.

Game Information

Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Ivica Zubac

Grizzlies: Vince Williams Jr. – Jaylen Wells – Cedric Coward – Jaren Jackson Jr. – Zach Edey

Injuries

Clippers: Bogdan Bogdanovic Out (Hip), Bradley Beal Out (Hip), Derrick Jones Jr. Out (Knee), Jordan Miller Questionable (Back), Chris Paul Out (Not with team)

Grizzlies: Ja Morant Out (Calf), Ty Jerome Out (Calf), Scotty Pippen Jr Out (Toe), Brandon Clarke Out (Knee), Javon Small Out (Toe)

The Big Picture

The Clippers finally got a win on Wednesday, taking out the shorthanded Hawks in Atlanta. As decimated as the Hawks were, the Clippers are at the point when any win is a good win, much less a blowout that they controlled for most of the game. It was the Clippers’ best defensive effort of the season as well as one of their best games at limiting turnovers. It will be hard to replicate that dynamic, but it’s something the Clippers will have to work on to continue winning games, especially while they are short-handed as well.

The Antagonist

The Grizzlies have turned things around somewhat since the Clippers last played them, largely due to the play of second-year big man Zach Edey. Edey looks transformed in his sophomore season, impacting the game in a real way on both ends of the court. Even though the Grizzlies’ traditional point guards are out, Vince Williams has stepped up nicely in that spot. Add in a strong rookie in Cedric Coward and the remaining rotation stalwarts of better Grizzlies teams in Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama and you have a competent team that can win in multiple ways. The Grizzlies, much like the Clippers, are down a bunch of guards, but have the youth and athleticism that has so troubled the Clippers for years, and are playing better of late. The Clippers will need to really show up to win this one on the road.

The Chris Paul Situation

I was going to do a solo article on this or a solo podcast, but I may as well just include my thoughts here. First and foremost, it’s a sad situation. Even though I didn’t think Chris had a ton left to give when he signed this summer, I thought it would be a fun reunion between the Clippers and the greatest player in franchise history that would at least give one or two throwback CP3 games for fans to enjoy. Instead, Chris has been mostly really bad, and the team is miserable. It was not what anyone wanted. There were no vintage CP3 games, and that hurts.

In terms of the situation itself, it’s very odd. Most of the reporting seems as if it’s come in, and I’ve of two minds about it. On one hand, Chris clearly ticked a lot of people off, including apparently much of the coaching staff, several players, and maybe even front office staff. That kind of behavior is unacceptable, whether he was right in his criticisms or not. If that many people are upset with you, the issue in the situation is probably you. Chris is grating as we all know, and the team being so bad seems like it made his gripes and criticisms go over the top. That’s all on Chris.

On the other hand, multiple respected NBA reporters (Chris Haynes and Tim McMahon) have stated that Ty Lue was not on speaking terms with Chris, and had not been for weeks. No matter how annoying Chris is, to me, that behavior is far more unacceptable. Ty is, in essence, Chris’s manager, and refusing to speak with your employee to sort out differences despite them reaching out is childish behavior at best and petty cruelty at worst. This situation maybe could have ironed itself out if Ty was willing to speak to Chris and really hammer out issues – now we will never know if this whole saga could have been avoided.

This also reflects poorly on the front office. Lawrence Frank took responsibility for the team disappointing to start the year in his press conference and said that Chris was not the scapegoat for the Clippers’ play. That’s a nice sentiment, but the fact that there was this much tension between a key veteran player and the coaching staff (as well as other players) and it was not nipped in the bud more forcefully does not make the front office look good in that regard either. Lawrence needs to take the blame not just for a flawed roster, but for people management mistakes too.

Finally, I must say – why couldn’t the Clippers have just sent Chris home for the rest of this road trip instead of severing ties completely? Was it that bad? They couldn’t have suspended him two games for “Conduct detrimental to the team” to give him a chance to redeem himself? I get it, going to these lengths for a veteran who is playing really poorly and was not supposed to be a big part of the team might seem like too much – but Chris is not just an ordinary member of the team. I don’t know what was said between Chris and the rest of the team; maybe the situation was truly irreversible. But the cutting short of his retirement tour in such an abrupt and unceremonious fashion has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I know it has for other Clippers and NBA fans as well. It’s a bummer.

Clippers vs Grizzlies Preview – And Thoughts on Chris Paul
Robert Flom

Our player preview series for the 2026 Clippers continues with Chris Paul, the Clippers’ once-superstar who has returned to the franchise for his swan song.

Basic Information

Height: 6’0

Weight: 175 pounds

Position: Point Guard

Age: 40

Years in NBA: 20

Regular Season Stats: 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 turnovers in 28.0 minutes per game across 82 games played (all starts) on 42.7/37.7/92.4 shooting splits (4.5 3PA, 1.1 FTA) with 58% TS

Contract Status: Signed a one-year veteran’s minimum

Expectations

When Chris Paul first signed with the Clippers back in late July, it seemed that he might have been signing up for a reunion based more on convenience, nostalgia, and a chance at winning rather than playing time. As the Clippers have headed into training camp, however, it seems quite clear that Chris Paul is in the team’s plans for their rotation. Whether he’s the 11^th man who doesn’t play every game or just the bog-standard backup point guard behind James Harden that plays 12-16 minutes per game, I’d expect Chris to have a real role on this team and not just be a locker room leader that gets dusted off now and then. When Chris does play, we can expect a steady hand at the reins on offense, vocal leadership on both sides of the ball, and peskiness all over. He’s not the Point God that Clippers’ fans remember from the Lob City days, but Chris was still a very effective NBA player last year with San Antonio and he should be at least a rotation-level guy this year.

Strengths

Chris Paul is second in NBA history in assists. That says more about the Point God’s passing and playmaking abilities than I can with words, so I won’t expand too much. Chris Paul is a brilliant passer who can make every read, knows every defense, and gets teammates the ball before anyone else knows they are open. There have been flashier passers, and there are larger players who can see over defenses easier and therefore make some passes that Chris Paul can’t. But truly better passers? That list is non-existent. When Chris Paul is on the court, he will get assists, and teammates will get the ball right when and where they like it.

Chris Paul combines his passing brilliance with a remarkably sure-handed approach to the ball, boasting a 9.2 assist to 2.3 turnover average (exactly 4:1) across his career. Considering a 3:1 average is quite good, that 4:1 ratio indicates just how insane Chris’s ability is to score, pass, and dribble the ball as much as he has in his career while turning the ball over as little as he has. There are times when Chris might be a bit too conservative and not make passes he could make for fear of turning the ball over, but turnovers are one of the deadliest sins in basketball, and Chris’ unique aptitude for limiting turnovers has been a huge reason for his ability to lift teams on offense throughout his career.

Finally, while he’s no Steph Curry, Chris Paul has been a good three-point shooter on medium-level volume for the entire second half of his career. Barring a one-season outlier in 2022, Chris has made at least 35.8% of his threes in each season since 2014 while attempting at least 3.4 per game. He’s a reliable shooter off the catch when playing off the ball, and is still capable of punishing drop defenses that sag too far off him when he’s running pick and rolls. Chris sadly does not get to his elbow jumper nearly as much as he did in his prime, when it was one of the deadliest weapons in the NBA, but when he does get that shot off it remains as pure as ever.

Weaknesses

Chris Paul’s biggest weakness at this point of his career is quite simple: for a guy who is still a primary ballhandler, he’s not really capable of consistently breaking down the defense. CP’s burst was already starting to go when he was on the Clippers a decade ago, and his final bit of quickness was exhausted at some point during his stint on the Suns. In 2025, Chris just can’t get to the rim much, and is almost entirely a jump shooter as a scorer. That inability to get to the rim also makes his deadly passing much more limited than it used to be. As a caretaker and set-up man, Chris remains fantastic. As a true creator or on-ball scorer, you might be in trouble if you rely on him too much.

Chris’s second major flaw is more of a playoff-only matter. Chris is one of the smartest basketball players of all time, and those preternatural instincts combined with his quick hands make him a plus defender in the regular season. However, there’s no denying his slow feet on the perimeter at this stage – or his height disadvantage against larger players. Thus, while he will be helpful on defense for the Clippers for much of the season, there are reasons to worry about him in the postseason when teams can really target him.

Summary

Chris Paul’s return to the Clippers is, to me, one of the cooler reunions that has happened in the NBA in recent years, especially since it seems quite likely this is his last season in the NBA. How much of an impact Chris Paul makes on this team remains to be seen. I could absolutely see a scenario where he fades in his 21^st season and is more of a fringe piece, but I could also imagine a scenario where James Harden takes an injury and CP helps keeps the Clippers afloat as the interim starter. Hopefully he’s still a solid rotation piece and has some fun moments at the very minimum. I think he will, and that the games where he stands out at home will be truly memorable for the fanbase.

2026 Clippers Player Preview: Chris Paul
Robert Flom

After years of speculation about a reunion, news broke today that the Clippers will in fact sign Chris Paul to a one-year veteran’s minimum deal, bringing the franchise great back home.

Chris Paul spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, serving as one of the centerpieces of the Lob City era. Despite those teams never breaking through to the Western Conference Finals, that era turned the Clippers franchise around – there is no Steve Ballmer or 213 era without Chris Paul. Chris Paul brought eyeballs, success on the court, and professionalism that had not existed in the franchise before. He changed the game.

Paul himself has a pretty ironclad case as “greatest Clipper ever”, with by far the strongest resume of any Clippers’ player. In his six seasons, he made five All Star games, earned 3 All-NBA First Teams and 2 All-NBA Second Teams, and received 6 All-Defense First Teams honors. He earned MVP ballot placement in each of those seasons as well, ranking 3rd in 2012 and 4th in 2013. No other Clippers player comes close to those accolades.

Forget Chris Paul, Clippers’ legend, for a moment. What about Chris Paul, the player, in 2025? Well, Paul is now 40, and is entering an absolutely ludicrous 21st season in the NBA. He played in all 82 games last year for the Spurs, averaging 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists on 42.7/37.7/92.4 shooting splits and only 1.6 turnovers per game. Paul basically never forgets to the rim or the free throw line anymore, but he remains a capable ballhandler, smart defender, and solid three-point shooter. Despite being far, far from the player he was for the Clippers, he was a positive impact presence for the Spurs by all accounts last year.

How Paul fits on the current roster is a bit more of a mystery. Paul makes 11 veteran, rotation-caliber players on the Clippers’ roster. Coaches like Steve Kerr last year have experimented with more than 10 players in a rotation (he got up to 12 last season), but it’s uncommon. When the team is fully healthy, at least one of if not two capable players might not get run. I’ll have another article breaking down all the possibilities there, but I think CP3 himself is a prime candidate to not play in that scaled down rotation, especially since he and James Harden simply can’t play together at this stage of their careers.

I know some people are worried about the Clippers having too many mouths to feed in the rotation, and locker room issues popping up as a result. I also know other people either were never huge fans of Chris Paul, or have since soured on him due to his presence on Clippers’ rivals in Houston and Phoenix. I get all that.

To me, however, this is an undeniable win. As detailed above, I believe Chris Paul is the greatest player in franchise history. To have him coming back to complete his storied, all-time career in a Clippers’ jersey is awesome, and I think his first and final games of the season will be incredible to witness. Welcome back, Point God.

Clippers to Sign Chris Paul
Robert Flom

Who knows when the league returns at this point, but Rob and Shap are feeling nostalgic, and there is plenty of older basketball to watch. Remember that legendary 2015 Spurs series? We certainly do, so the guys rewatched Game 7 and gave their thoughts about it. Chris Paul’s hamstring game. Peak Blake Griffin. A thin but determined supporting cast. Future Clipper Kawhi Leonard. The guys are here to talk about it and what they might have changed (if anything) on the latest episode of the Lob, the Jam, the Podcast!

Check out the new episode here!

TLTJTP: Clippers Rewatchables, 2015 Game 7 Spurs-Clippers
Robert Flom

Game Information

Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch/Listen: Prime Ticket, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Thunder: Chris Paul – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Luguentz Dort – Danilo Gallinari – Steven Adams

Clippers: Patrick Beverley – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Thunder: Andre Roberson Out (Knee), Darius Bazley Out (Knee)

Clippers: None

The Big Picture

The Clippers, winners of four-straight, seem to be clicking at the right time. The new additions of Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson are succeeding on the fly and bringing impact on both ends. With the ball out of Lou’s hands a bit more, the bench is CLICKING, averaging 58 points since Jackson has joined the second unit. Where the Lou-Trezz PnR was falling flat recently, it has been fired up again due to more spacing and shooting. It’s been awesome to see Jackson have the impact he’s had. Same with Mook. Morris has been a bit quieter in his presence than he was in Boston or, obviously, NY, but that’s a good thing I think. He has been the proper bail out scorer that LA needs him to be, hitting in the mid-range well, knocking down threes, and playing surprisingly solid defense. If they keep playing the way they have been, I really don’t see another team beating LA in a seven-game series.

We are finally witnessing the true power of a full-strength Clipper team, and it has been fun. It’s weird, for the past few seasons (including the Lob City era), LA always seems to play down to their competition. Sunday was another testament to this, as the undermanned Sixers almost stole one in LA. This Clipper team has mixed in some duds against bad teams along with blasting others. With a tough stretch this week including games against OKC, Houston and the Lakers — I almost feel more confident in their abilities to win these games than if you mixed in the Pelicans (who they play next week) or the Pacers or some other more middling team. They get up for the big ones and chill a bit for the others. However, they seem to be putting their hard-hats on and going to work against whomever they play in their last four, and hopefully can continue this trend. After this week against three West playoff teams, eight of their next ten games are against teams under .500. This is a golden opportunity to gain ground on the Lakers and potentially lock up the two seed. All gas no brakes please.

The Antagonist 

Ah, the good ole’ Clippers of the South. Not only do they possess most of our future assets, including the biggest one in future All-Star (yes, it’s going to happen) in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but they also have Danilo Gallinari and Chris Paul on their roster. Gallo is probably the most underrated Clipper ever, the best player on the most overachieving team in franchise history last season, and obviously you have Paul who objectively is the best Clipper of all time (who also has the best Clipper moment ever). 

When you mention overachieving this season, the Thunder are the first team that come to mind. They are 37-23 and the sixth seed in the West. You have Chris Paul deservedly making his 10th All-Star game, four years removed from his last in 2016. You have SGA on the road to becoming a bonafide star in this league. You have Gallo being his usual, underrated consistent self — tied with SGA for leading scorer on the team. Dennis Schroder is having his best season of his career and is squarely in the 6th Man of the Year conversation. Steven Adams, perhaps the most likely trade candidate of anyone in the league at the beginning of the year, has played well and is their stalwart in the middle. When you fill out the rest of the team with young athletes, like Lu Dort, Hamidou Diallo, and Terance Ferguson, this team is dangerous as hell. 

What was once a team that was projected to be rebuilding, with a head coach in Billy Donovan squarely on the hot seat, is now a playoff team that could be a legit threat to steal games come April. Right now they are matched up with the Clips in the 3-6 matchup. Personally, playing them would not be ideal. They are tough, playoff tested, and know the Clips inside-and-out. I’d prefer the Mavericks, who sit in the 7th spot. The Clippers have played the Thunder twice, winning one thanks to some clutch shots from Paul George, sans Kawhi Leonard, and blowing an 18-point second half lead in an L in December. Both teams are healthy and this one should be a tough game throughout. 

Notes

Landry minutes shrinking: Since the acquisition of Jackson, Landry Shamet has seen his stock fall a bit. Where he was averaging 30 minutes a game for the month of February, in the last five he has seen that average dip to 23.2 mins per contest. It’s not for reasons of bad play (shooting 47.7% from three in the last four, averaging 8.5 points) — I think that with Jackson there, Landry doesn’t need to be on the ball as much and is getting keyed on by 2nd unit defenses. Where Landry before was the first wing option off the bench, now we are seeing Lou take that spot with the ball in Reggie’s hands more. I expect Landry to get more minutes and hit big shots moving forward, but this is a trend to keep an eye on.

Zubac minutes going up: Meanwhile, Zu, who fans have been screaming about from the rooftops to get more minutes, has seen a mild uptick in minutes recently. He is averaging 20.3 over the last five and has been a big reason why the Clips are on this current four-game win streak (he always helps the Clips win). Over the last five he’s missing an average of only 2.6 shots per game and has not had more than two fouls in any contest since Feb. 22. Still would like to see him play more in the fourth quarter, but Trezz has been eating and the Clips have been winning so all’s good… until it isn’t.

Pat Bev is the man: Everyone go read Joey Linn’s newest piece on Patrick Beverley. It displays his nightly impact perfectly. Even if the dude has zero points, he still finds a way to win. Can you retire someone’s jersey while they are still playing?

Clippers vs. Thunder Game Preview: LA Faces Bizarro Clippers In An Important Matchup
Chris Murch