Chris Paul's return stint with the Clippers is over, and the team's rough start just got rougher

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Chris Paul's return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting that will add another layer of drama to the team's terrible start this season.

The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta that ended around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday, then told the franchise's all-time assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Frank did not confirm speculation that Paul and Clippers coach Tyronn Lue have been clashing or not speaking to one another, insisting the decision had multiple layers. Frank also insisted that Lue is safe, despite the Clippers' 5-16 start to this season.

“This decision had nothing to do with one incident, one meeting that did or did not happen," Frank said in a video conference with reporters. "Some of our business, respectfully, I have to keep in house. But this didn’t come down to one incident or one meeting. It just wasn’t the right fit.”

Paul made the announcement on social media shortly before 3 a.m. Wednesday, posting "Just Found Out I'm Being Sent Home” and adding a peace emoji. The Clippers were in Atlanta for a road game against the Hawks on Wednesday night. Los Angeles lost at Miami on Monday night to extend its wildly disappointing start to the season.

The Clippers' flight to Atlanta from Miami on Tuesday was delayed for about 4 1/2 hours, according to flight records, which led to the late-night session between Frank and Paul. The team didn't land in Atlanta until shortly before 10 p.m.

“Because of the nature of the conversation it was a long, long, long, long, long, long meeting,” Frank said.

The 40-year-old Paul is playing his 21st NBA season, and he strongly hinted last month that it will be his last. The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist has earned four All-NBA first team selections, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have both since done that as well.

Paul became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers' first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July, rejoining a franchise where he is loved by fans while having an outside chance to contend for his first championship alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

It didn't happen.

“We did not make this move because of our underperformance," Frank said. "He had nothing to do with that. I take full responsibility for our record. We are not scapegoating Chris Paul. We have many issues, and we’re going to address each issue for our underperformance. But I do want to make it clear: We have great respect for Chris, for the career that he’s had and for his impact on the organization, what he did to help transform the franchise, and we’re not blaming him for underperformance.”

The Clippers will likely try to trade Paul, who signed a $3.6 million deal to return to LA. A trade cannot happen until Dec. 15 by league rules.

Paul hasn’t spoken to reporters since he strongly hinted at retirement while the Clippers were back in his native North Carolina. But he acknowledged a video retrospective of his career played by the Clippers during a timeout at Intuit Dome last week. The video ended with “Congratulations, Point God” on the screen.

Paul couldn't really be blamed for the Clippers' profound struggles this season because he hasn't played much.

He is averaging 2.6 points and 3.3 assists while playing just 14.3 minutes per game — all career lows — and he didn't play at all in five straight games in mid-November. Paul had eight points and three assists while playing 15 minutes against the Heat in what turned out to be his final game with the team — a game in which Harden and other starters were effectively benched, in the latest sign of discord for Lue's team.

“T Lue's a hell of a coach," Frank said. "He’s going to continue to be the coach here for a long time.”

The Clippers are on a five-game skid, and they're tied with Sacramento for the second-worst record in the Western Conference heading into Wednesday's games. Leonard has been limited to 10 games by injuries, and they've already lost guard Bradley Beal to season-ending hip surgery.

The Clippers’ streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons is the longest active streak in the NBA, but owner Steve Ballmer’s club has yet to show signs of contention this season — and now they're going forward without a historically talented point guard and franchise favorite.

“Chris’ legacy with us stands," Frank said. "This situation just didn’t work out at this time.”

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