Chris Paul Signals Desperate Need to Finish NBA Business With James Harden After Emotional Presser

“Chris is one of the most impactful players ever to wear a Clippers uniform, and it’s appropriate that he returns to the team for this chapter of his career,” said team president Lawrence Frank. The Clippers, coming off a 50-32 season and a first-round Game 7 exit to the Denver Nuggets, are now one of the most talked-about teams in the West, and adding Chris Paul is a big reason why. LA first acquired him in 2011, back when they were reeling from four straight 50 or more loss seasons. Now, over a decade later, he’s back to finish what he started.

But before we dive deeper, let’s take a look at the 2025 Clippers roster. It’s stacked at every position, sure—but also officially the oldest team in NBA history, averaging 33.2 years, even older than the Stockton-and-Malone Jazz. With Chris Paul at 40 joining Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, the hype is real… and so is the concern. Durability over 82 games? That’s the big question. Still, CP3’s only focus? “Unfinished business” with James Harden. Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints asked Chris Paul about his relationship with James Harden, and Paul’s response made it clear he’s all in on this Clippers reunion.

“I’m just so excited about the moves that the team has made this offseason, [Bradley Beal] coming to the team, Brook Lopez, all the young guys. I talked to James [Harden], I talked to Kawhi [Leonard]. I’m even more excited about what I think we have a chance to do,” Paul said. But the most telling part came right after, when he added, “We definitely have unfinished business, so we get a chance to see what’s going on here.”

That line hit differently. For longtime fans, it instantly brought back memories of the Paul-Harden duo that once had the entire Western Conference on edge. And now? They’re getting one more shot. Because the last time these two shared a locker room in Houston, it didn’t exactly end with hugs and high-fives. Clippers fans can’t help but wonder. Can Paul and Harden finally figure things out together?

Chris Paul and James Harden share a complicated history. Paul spent six standout seasons with the Clippers (2011–2017) before heading to Houston in hopes of securing an NBA title alongside Harden. In 2018, they came close, pushing the Kevin Durant-era Warriors to a Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals, something no other team managed. Many fans still believe the Rockets would’ve won the series had Paul not gone down with a hamstring injury. But behind the scenes, tension was building. Their contrasting personalities and ball-heavy styles clashed. Harden preferred an isolation-heavy offense built around him, while Paul emphasized structure and team play. Harden’s reluctance to play off the ball, often barely crossing half-court when Paul had possession, irritated his teammate, as per sources.

Their partnership grew even more tense during the 2019 Western Conference semifinals loss to the Warriors. ESPN’s Tim McMahon reported “friction” and “tense exchanges” between them, and just like that, the duo split. However, in the June of the same year, Rockets GM denied any reports of a major rift and Paul even wrote, “that’s news to me” in response to an Instagram post calling their bond “unsalvagable”. Still and all, in the end, Paul packed his bags for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, nearly six years later, CP3 is 40, and James Harden turns 36 next month. This reunion might not carry the same buzz as their first go-around, but it’s got something deeper: history, redemption, and one last shot at a ring.

And despite their rocky past, the signs are hopeful. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted, “He (Paul) and James Harden didn’t have the greatest relationship when they were in Houston a few years ago. But Harden is on board with this signing.” Still, Windy added, “He played the fifth-most minutes in the league last year, and anything the Clippers can do to support and protect him is welcomed.” Maybe this version of the duo—older, wiser, and still ringless—is more equipped to finish the job. One thing’s certain: CP3 isn’t just back in L.A., he’s fired up to run it back.

Chris Paul’s emotional return to L.A. feels like home in every way

Chris Paul sat there in front of the fans, overwhelmed, emotional, and completely at peace. Walking into the empty Intuit Dome, seeing his name on the halo board, his No. 3 jersey hanging in the locker room—it all hit him. “It’s kind of wild, kind of crazy, still kind of speechless,” he said. The moment felt bigger than basketball. This was home, where his family still lives, where his kids grew up watching him play on TV, and where he can now drive home after a game instead of calling from across the country. “I wanted to get back and play here by any means necessary,” he said. “I didn’t even care what the team looked like, I just wanted to be home, be here with the Clippers.”

This return isn’t just a feel-good story, it’s the only story that made sense. “It was a no-brainer,” Paul said about signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Clippers. “I think the easiest decision in this is sitting right up here, my family.” After playing all 82 games with the Spurs last season—something no other player has done that late in their career—Paul made it clear: being near his family was priority number one. So when he became a free agent, there wasn’t much debate. “You see all the stories, people saying, ‘He’ll only go here if he’s starting or if he’s doing this,’” Paul shared. “But I love to hoop, I love to play this game, but I love my family more than any of it.” That made the decision easy.

Another reason? Last summer, while still on another team, Paul called Clippers owner Steve Ballmer asking for a tour of the Intuit Dome. “I was just sort of peeking because I didn’t know if a guy on the current team was here and they were like, ‘What the hell he doing here walking around?’” he joked. After 409 games with the Clippers, averaging 18.8 points and 9.8 assists, Chris Paul’s full-circle moment isn’t just about stats; it’s about being where he belongs.