NBA Exec Says CP3 'Wears You Out,' He's Often 'Right, Which Kind of Pisses You Off'
The approach of veteran Chris Paul isn't for everyone, but one NBA executive had a hard time arguing with the results.
"He wears you out," the exec told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "He's convinced he's right — and he often is right, which kind of pisses you off — and he'll go around to everyone until you agree with him."
Shelburne detailed how Paul's return to the Los Angeles Clippers spiraled so quickly.
The NBA insider reported the Clippers envisioned the 12-time All-Star coming off the bench for a smaller role in the rotation than he was accustomed to. He was on board with that but "had also stressed that he wanted a chance to compete and that he'd do the best he could to be an extension of the coaching staff."
Problems arose when Paul tried to follow through on the latter task.
"When he offered suggestions to a player about training methods, he was warned not to undermine the staff, sources said," per Shelburne. "When he'd challenge players on or off the court, or tell them how to run a play, there were complaints from players and coaches that he was abrasive."
This is a common theme across Paul's career.
Things soured between him and the Clippers the first time around prior to his 2017 trade to the Houston Rockets. He and Rockets teammate James Harden eventually didn't see eye to eye. The Phoenix Suns were ready to move on after three seasons. Then he spent one year apiece with the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.
While things haven't always been smooth with Paul, though, Los Angeles was a regular playoff contender during the "Lob City" era. The Suns reached the 2021 NBA Finals. The Rockets went to the 2018 Western Conference Finals and pushed the eventual champion Warriors to the brink.
The future Hall of Famer also became a veteran mentor to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during his lone season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
At this point, the Clippers decided the entire CP3 experience isn't worth it when he's such a diminished version of his peak self. But his leadership style was unquestionably effective.
