Will Chris Paul Retire? NBA Star Opens Up About Future amid Clippers Exit

Chris Paul reportedly hasn't ruled out returning to the NBA this season after his abrupt split with the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I'm just staying ready. I'm hooping right now," Paul told NBA insider Chris Haynes for NBA on Prime. "I don't [know] what's next. I'm still scarred by it all. Still processing everything.

"But I'm staying ready."

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Nov. 22 that Paul planned to retire after the 2025-26 season. The Clippers announced their split with Paul less than two weeks later.

"We are parting ways with Chris and he will no longer be with the team. We will work with him on the next step of his career," Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a Dec. 3 statement.

For now Paul, 40, remains the 14th player on the Clippers' roster. After moving on from him, the franchise would have a maximum of two weeks to fill his roster spot.

He could potentially remain on the Clippers roster for at least another week. The team cannot trade Paul until Dec. 15, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Waiving him before that date would require the Clippers to eat the rest of the money remaining on his one-year, $3.6 million guaranteed contract. That would cost the Clippers $2.3 million against the cap, per Marks.

Even if the team decided to waive Paul, Marks noted the Clippers can't make that move until Dec. 22 without shedding more salary.

Waiving Paul on that date would give the Clippers two weeks until Jan. 7. Because the franchise is currently just $1.3 million below the first apron, per Spotrac, that's the earliest the club could sign Paul's replacement and still fulfill the NBA's 14-man roster requirement in time.

Marks noted that more roster spots could open up around the NBA when the deadline for partially guaranteed contracts hits on Jan. 7. Which clubs have an open spot and a need for backcourt depth at that point could play a role in determining Paul's next landing spot.