Noise has been swirling around the NBA world since yesterday, after the Los Angeles Clippers released future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul. Nobody expected this to happen so suddenly, especially after Paul publicly expressed his desire to retire as a member of the team. Now, a voice closer to Paul has come out in his support: Carmelo Anthony.

“What do you expect from Chris Paul right now to say that he’s not delivering?” Anthony said on the latest episode of his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “You can’t tell me CP is that disruptive to the point where I got to send him home, bro.”

Anthony’s voice was filled with disbelief as he processed the reasoning behind the decision in real-time, something the franchise had not completely clarified. Paul has played just 14.6 minutes per game, averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. To expect anything more from the guard at 40 is unreasonable.

Anthony and Paul are close friends, and that bond seems to have only strengthened over their time in the NBA, with the Banana Boat crew moment standing out in particular. In his eyes, the Point God deserves more respect than an escort to the airport, not even a social media goodbye or thank-you post.

Paul had signed with the Clippers four months earlier, hoping to finish out his career with an organization he had helped grow and bring into the spotlight alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.

Instead, the Clippers legend was told to “go home” just a day before the team’s next game in the middle of a road trip. Even James Harden claimed not to know that he was leaving them.

Internally, things seemed to be in turmoil. After the two parties separated, multiple reports surfaced, revealing that Paul and head coach Tyronn Lue hadn’t been on speaking terms for several weeks, and Paul’s push for accountability within the organization had become “disruptive” to management.

That friction escalated to a breaking point, leading to the Clippers cutting the 12-time All-Star after just 16 games.

The Clippers now sit at 6-16, spiraling towards the bottom of the Western Conference, and in the wake of Paul’s removal, President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank has been trying to control the narrative, shifting blame away from Paul while defending the organization’s decision.

How things go from here is left to be seen, but it’s clear that Carmelo Anthony is one of many in Paul’s support.

Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul Share History of Support Amidst Brutal Exits

This isn’t the first time the two friends have been in each other’s corner, and one example stands out. Back in 2018, when both players were on the Houston Rockets, the team struggled to start the season, and after just 10 games, Carmelo Anthony was removed from the team’s rotation entirely.

Chris Paul was the first person he spoke to.

“I wanted to know if he had anything to do with it,” he told reporters the next season. “I told him, looked him in his eyes and said, ‘Look, just be careful.’”

Just a few months later, Anthony watched his warning become reality. At the end of the 2018-19 season, Paul was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder despite Rockets GM Daryl Morey personally telling him that he wouldn’t be moved.

The move stung Anthony, who wished he had received some clarity or explanation at the time, but he insisted that there was no bitterness.

Here, both stars learned one lesson personally: loyalty and transparency evaporate quickly in the business of basketball.

Perhaps that’s why Anthony has been one of the most vocal defenders of Paul since the Clippers fallout. But one thing is clear: this is not a good look for LA.