At the moment the ship was sinking, they threw the old captain overboard first.

NBA news seldom appears in the afternoon Beijing time since it’s early morning there and most people are asleep, but there are always some who are exceptions.

At 2:40 AM Atlanta time, Paul shared a post saying, "I was just told I’m being sent home," because the Clippers asked him to leave in the middle of the night.

Even after almost a full day, this news still seems so ridiculous. The absurdity isn’t that the Clippers gave up on Paul, but the way they chose to do it—so undignified. What kind of organization tells an employee at 2:30 AM that they don’t have to come to work tomorrow?

And this isn’t just any ordinary player. Considering the Clippers’ dismal history, Paul’s six years with the team have made him arguably the most important player in franchise history. Before Paul arrived, the Clippers were perennial underdogs, essentially the Lakers’ second team, overshadowed for decades.

After Paul joined, the Clippers quickly rose to become a city known for alley-oops, surpassing the Lakers for a long time. Clippers fans grew in number during this period. Although the team didn’t advance further under Paul’s leadership, they at least maintained strong competitiveness every year, escaping their former bottom-tier status.

In the twilight of his career, Paul was still willing to return and make the Clippers his final stop. This should have been a heartwarming story of a veteran coming home, but instead, it turned into a complete joke. This is how the Clippers treat their honored veterans.

Some time has passed since this broke, and the truth is gradually emerging through various journalists’ reports. According to Shams, Haynes, and former Clippers player Lou Williams, the sequence of events roughly goes like this:

Paul has always been outspoken, demanding accountability from management, coaches, and players, holding them to high standards. Even though he apologized and explained that he only wanted changes to help the team succeed, management had reached their limit. The Clippers felt his behavior disrupted team order, and Tyronn Lue hadn’t spoken to Paul for weeks.

Weeks ago, Paul requested a meeting with Lue to discuss accusations that he was negatively affecting the team. Lue declined the meeting. Frank went to Atlanta to announce Paul’s departure.

In short, the Clippers couldn’t tolerate the team’s current state and Paul’s criticism of everyone, including management, wasn’t welcomed. Paul realized he might have been too harsh, but the rift was already too deep to fix with apologies. As the team’s performance worsened, management’s first cut was Paul. If the problem can’t be solved, solve the one who points it out—makes sense, right?

Everyone knows Paul’s personality: blunt with everyone, demanding of others and even more so of himself, always holding those around him to high standards. Such a person is rarely popular in the workplace. At his peak, Paul had enough influence that others had to tolerate him, including management.

But now, Paul is just a veteran on a minimum salary, averaging 2 points per game, half buried in his career’s twilight. Still acting like a big deal? Sorry, the Clippers’ management couldn’t take it anymore. So they kicked Paul out just like they did with Tucker, and it happened at midnight in Atlanta!

Even DeMarcus Cousins, who really dislikes Paul, spoke up for him this time: “This is absolutely ridiculous... I still hate this guy a lot, but at the end of the day, he deserves the respect he’s earned.”

I don’t oppose the Clippers giving up on Paul. They don’t have to let him finish his career there. The Clippers didn’t sign Paul for a farewell tour. When Paul’s performance this season was terrible, the Clippers could bench him, cut his farewell tour short, trade him, or even freeze him out—but they should never treat him this way.

The NBA is a business, but it’s definitely not a place without any human warmth. The Trail Blazers can offer Lillard a multi-million contract, yet the Clippers’ huge arena can’t even accommodate a veteran on a minimum salary who gave his prime years to the team.

The Clippers’ treatment of Paul is utterly disrespectful, even worse than when the Rockets cut Anthony. Paul isn’t just a Hall of Famer; he’s the most important player in Clippers history, yet they won’t even give him a decent farewell.

After being “sent home” by the Clippers, Paul seemed to be in good spirits. After all, the cold war with the team had lasted weeks, and this outcome was probably expected. Today, he shared a screenshot of a video call with Griffin and Jordan, all laughing happily. Griffin was also kicked out after signing a max contract, so Paul now understands that feeling.

A battered, leaking ship about to sink decides to throw the old captain overboard first. This is not a fable but a brutal reality.