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Blake Griffin Rebukes Clippers Over Chris Paul Exit After Reports of Staff Clashes

New accounts of a plane confrontation plus weeks of silence with Ty Lue deepen questions about the franchise’s culture.

Overview

  • The Clippers sent Chris Paul home and announced they were parting ways, with his next step expected to be waiver, buyout, or a trade once he becomes eligible after December 15.
  • Blake Griffin publicly criticized the organization, saying Paul received no direct communication from coach Ty Lue or team governor Steve Ballmer about the decision.
  • NBA insider Chris Haynes reported assistant Jeff Van Gundy confronted Paul on the team plane over defensive adjustments, a dispute linked to Paul’s cryptic “leeway” Instagram post.
  • Multiple outlets reported Paul and Lue had not spoken for weeks, and Haynes said Lue declined a meeting Paul requested as team officials viewed his vocal accountability as disruptive.
  • Team president Lawrence Frank said Paul was not being blamed for the poor start, as Los Angeles fell to 6-17 with Paul averaging 2.9 points in 14.3 minutes, and Paul told Haynes he is staying ready as he processes the split.