Chris Paul is finally off the LA Clippers … but still may not be any closer to a return to the court.
The 12-time NBA All-Star guard Paul was officially traded away by the Clippers on Wednesday. He was sent to the Toronto Raptors as part of a three-team trade (read the full details here).
However, the Raptors reportedly are not requiring Paul to report to their team. As such, Paul could be traded again before Thursday’s deadline or could be waived outright by Toronto.
Speaking Wednesday on “NBA Today,” ESPN’s Shams Charania shared a significant update on Paul’s future. Charania says that it is uncertain if Paul will play again in the NBA at this point.
Shams on Chris Paul:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 4, 2026
"It's not certain whether he's gonna play again in the NBA as of right now"
pic.twitter.com/nihGYQD00U
Paul is only on a one-year, $3.6 million minimum contract. But he has been away from competitive play for over two months now after being sent home by the Clippers.
When he was playing for the Clippers this season, Paul was only averaging a meager 2.9 points and 3.3 assists over 14.3 minutes per game. There is also obviously the concern of age with Paul, who is now 40 years old.
Paul was very recently linked to one interesting team in the Western Conference. But with Paul’s strong personality also reportedly clashing with multiple coaches in Los Angeles, it is fair to question whether Paul has finally run out of opportunities. That would mark an unceremonious end to an illustrious 21-season NBA career for Paul, an 11-time All-NBA selection and a nine-time All-Defensive selection.
