When the Los Angeles Clippers unexpectedly sent future Hall of Famer Chris Paul home on Wednesday, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard were quick to say they had nothing to do with the decision. They may not have pushed for it outright, but their influence was still felt. Now that the dust is settling, the factors behind Paul’s abrupt exit are starting to come into focus.

“Leonard and Harden told reporters they were “shocked” the Clippers parted ways with Paul, but that’s not true, sources said. Both stars knew the move was coming and signed off on it,” sources told DallasHoopsJournal.

“Paul was in Leonard’s ear a lot, sources said. Leonard initially didn’t mind Paul’s advice because he has a lot of respect for him as a player and person. However, it became too constant, and Leonard believed Paul was “nagging” incessantly.”

“When the Clippers approached Harden in the offseason to discuss Paul joining the team, the lefty wasn’t fully on board because he knew Paul was difficult to work with,” the report further revealed.

While James Harden and Kawhi Leonard did not have the final say in Chris Paul’s exit, they were aware it was coming and might have even been relieved by it. However, even though it might sound surprising to many, it actually shouldn’t be that way. After all, Harden and Paul were teammates on a couple of occasions during their careers in Oklahoma City and Houston.

Back in their Thunder days, Harden even asked the team to move Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook, convinced he could no longer thrive alongside CP3 and that Westbrook gave him a better shot at a title. So when Paul arrived in Southern California at age 40, Harden knew the role would be smaller, yet the fit could still create complications. That history mattered more than it seemed.

And sure enough, that appears to have been the case, at least in the eyes of James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and others. The Clippers’ problems run far deeper than Chris Paul. Moving on from the veteran may simplify the rotation, but it does little to alter the team’s larger trajectory. The issues that remain are the ones Los Angeles must confront next.

Their playoff dreams are slowly dimming, and things don’t look like getting better anytime soon, even after Chris Paul’s exit. It seems like that is why there are speculations that the franchise might finally pull the plug on its current roster and start from scratch. So, even Los Angeles’ superstar duo might be on their way to join Chris Paul soon, as he figures out his future in the NBA.

The Clippers have “indicated” a willingness to trade James Harden and Kawhi Leonard

After a stunning move to part ways with Chris Paul, it seems like the Los Angeles Clippers are also reviewing the status of the rest of their roster, including James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. It’s no longer a secret that the duo hasn’t been able to take the franchise to the heights they were brought in for, and the future also doesn’t look so promising, given their ages.

Amid this, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes the Clippers could move on from the duo sooner rather than later to create cap space and improve during the upcoming offseason.

“It’s “indicated” that the Clips have plans to shift their cap space timeline from 2027 to 2026 & hope to improve in the offseason, becoming competitive next season,” Bontemps reported.

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Now, if this news is true, this could be huge for the Clippers. While this seems like the only way forward given their roster’s average age, it won’t be easy for them. That’s because both Harden and Leonard are on huge contracts. On one hand, the Beard is owed $39.2 million this season and has a $42.3 million player option for the next season.

On the other hand, the Klaw is making $50 million this season and $50.3 million during the 2026-27 campaign. Well, that’s not the only tricky part when it comes to finding trade options for these two. Harden and Leonard’s injury record also, is also quite terrible, as both have a history of missing multiple games, which isn’t going to get better with age.

So, at this stage of their careers, both players might not actually fetch much value at all. This, of course, will haunt the Clippers. However, it might be inevitable for the organization. More so because they don’t even control their first-round pick until 2030. That certainly adds a layer of intrigue to what the LA-based franchise wants to do next, as we keep a close eye on any developments.