Chris Paul was already preparing for the end. Last month, he hinted that the 2025-26 season would be his final one, sharing a video of his long NBA journey and writing, “Still so much left… GRATEFUL for this last one!!” He earlier admitted he had another year at the most left in him, quietly planning a farewell with the Clippers. But before he could choose his goodbye, the team made the decision for him, a sudden, middle-of-the-night meeting ending their ties and cutting short the final chapter.

But Dwyane Wade made a simple three-word demand from the Clippers: “Bring him back.”

Speaking on his podcast, The Timeout With Dwyane Wade, he explained that the decision to part ways was primarily due to “clear communication,” or a lack thereof.

“It has to be ownership, has to be front office,” Wade said of his fellow NBA great’s messy situation. “It has to be coaches. Star players. We all communicate that this is a good idea. And we all are on board for this. I don’t feel like it was great communication or everyone was on board for it because it wouldn’t have cut the way it cut, if everybody was. Somebody didn’t want the s— to happen anyway.”

Wade revealed he was at Paul’s house for dinner when the topic came up.

Paul, who spent six seasons with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017, returned in July on a one-year deal. The team announced his departure before a game against the Atlanta Hawks, with president Lawrence Frank summing it up simply: “Essentially, it wasn’t working out the way we had planned.”

Behind the scenes, sources say the Clippers felt Paul wasn’t worth the growing tension.

Those tensions reportedly built fast.

Paul was said to be vocal about his frustrations, which slowly strained relationships inside the locker room. Teammates grew tired of what one source described as “typical, manipulative b——-,” with criticism often delivered through long conversations.

Former Clippers star Lou Williams even claimed Paul apologized to the team for how he handled things, while ESPN reported that Paul and coach Ty Lue weren’t on speaking terms for weeks.

Wade believes someone powerful within the organization finally pulled the plug all of a sudden, surprising the whole fanbase…

“Somewhere… somebody was like, I don’t really, nope,” the Miami Heat legend opined. “And they’ve got some power, and some say.”

The Clippers’ struggles since haven’t helped the optics; the team has dropped 18 of its last 21 games, sitting at 6-20 after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Adam Silver hopes Chris Paul gets a proper goodbye

During his address at the NBA Cup Finals, Adam Silver expressed his disappointment over how things unfolded between the Clippers and Chris Paul.

“I was dismayed just for everyone involved,” Silver said, pointing to his long relationship with the star from his years as the Players Association president.

While making it clear it’s not his role “to cross-examine the participants,” Silver added that he hopes the story isn’t over yet.

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“I would love to see him finish off the season on another team,” the Commissioner wished. “He’s already announced this is his last season. I’d love to see him finish strong.”

Calling it “an unfortunate situation,” Silver said his focus now is on Paul’s future.

He also emphasized that he isn’t questioning the Clippers’ decision, even though he sympathizes with Paul. He praised the veteran’s career and leadership.

“I’ve admired [Paul’s] leadership over the years,” the Commissioner said of the quality that the Clippers seemingly disagreed with. “He’s had a dozen All-Star appearances. I think it’s his 21st year in the league… I’d love to see him finish strong.”

Since the split, several teams have been linked to the veteran, and ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that Paul even tried to mend things with the Clippers. His name has been linked to teams like the Timberwolves, Rockets, and Knicks, but location still matters to him.

After years of bouncing around the league, the 40-year-old star’s priorities are clear. He wants to be in Los Angeles, close to his family, whom he’s been away from for nearly five or six years. Reports suggest Phoenix is as far as he is willing to go.