For seven years, the No. 3 LA Clippers jersey bore only one name: Chris Paul. So after his unceremonious exit from the team in 2025, he was told that his jersey would be retired. Instead, it was given to the then-newly acquired Bradley Beal, and former player Carmelo Anthony had a sharp take on the situation.

“At some point, the pattern’s gotta speak for itself,” Anthony said in an episode of his 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast. “You fire the guy, the pattern, you send him home, you tell him you’re going to retire his jersey, then you get Brad Beal. There’s no time happening in between.”

He further revealed that perhaps there was more to the situation than meets the eye. “It’s more principle than the politics, than the b——t, and I know it’s a lot of politics, but don’t tell a man we’ll retire your jersey, send a man home, and then give the jersey away.”

Anthony made strong points, and the context is crucial. Chris Paul had iconically worn the No. 3 jersey as a Clipper between 2011 and 2017 for his first stint with the team. He later returned in 2025 to spend his last season with his favorite team and, as expected, wore No. 3.

On the other hand, Bradley Beal wore the same number during his entire career while playing for the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns. However, when he joined the Clippers, he donned the number 0. Anthony said it was “out of respect” for Chris Paul.

Unfortunately, drama surrounded Paul in his final season. He was reportedly sent home mid-season, and the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, announced that the team would be parting ways with Paul.

Later, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Paul had been asked to leave after conflicts with head coach Tyron Lue.

What Happened Between Chris Paul and the Clippers?

The story takes us back all the way to December 2025. Chris Paul had recently returned to play with the Clippers one last time before retiring for good. However, what was supposed to be a cathartic experience quickly turned into a struggle.

The Clippers were down 5-16. Their season had been brutal, and it didn’t look like they would make the playoffs. After a blowout loss to the Miami Heat, Lawrence arranged a meeting with Paul.

Apparently, Paul and head coach Tyron Lue had clashed over the player’s leadership style, and the conflict never quite found a solution. Instead, Lawrence sent him home to Los Angeles from Atlanta in the middle of the night.

Chris Paul later revealed that he had given advice to a player after being asked how he remains healthy. Unfortunately, his advice landed him in trouble.

“Soon as I went to a (certain) room, somebody told me they didn’t want me to give players’ advice like that,” he said on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast. “It was just a lot of back and forth.”

The veteran basketball player who was arguably the best in Clippers’ history was then traded to the Toronto Raptors.

A few days later, the Raptors waived him, and Chris Paul finally announced his retirement. The exact details of the long-winded meeting with Lawrence and his clash with coach Lue still remain a mystery.

What we do know is that Lawrence reportedly told him that his jersey would be retired. It is now known that the No. 3 jersey was never retired. Instead, it was rebranded for Bradley Beal.