“What’s interesting about that whole situation is, it’s probably one of the most disrespectful things that I’ve endured,” Paul said on the “Build or Break” podcast. “I’ve been through a lot of wild stuff in my career, and having older kids and a wife who’s very tapped in, and they know the daily goings on as far as that team and that organization. Obviously I was upset, but my family, my people, everybody…” “I think just because of the investment we made in the team for as long as we have, and to see the way stuff was handled. What it lets you know is that no matter what you do or what you’ve done, nobody cares.”
More on Chris Paul: Recent HoopsHype Rumors
ESPN: Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul are enjoying retirement to the fullest?? (via @cp3) — 9/2/2026 Instagram
But if
Chris Paul is able to join the Lakers in any capacity, it could provide him with the opportunity to contribute to a franchise he could’ve been with – albeit in a significantly different way. Only Paul can answer whether that’s a step he wants to take after retiring from a 21-year playing career this past February. But people around the league see the potential fit for Paul in a front office role. A front office member on an Eastern Conference team told the Post they could see Paul, at least initially, best fitting in as a consultant as someone who people around the organization can pick the brain of the 12-time All-Star. “Just comes down to commitment and how much he listens,” the front office member told the Post of Paul’s fit as an executive. “Understanding [the] game at such a higher level goes such a long way.” — 8/15/2026 New York Post
Another front office member for another team speculated going into coaching could be a better option for Chris Paul, citing his playing career accolades. “Such a student of the game, he’s used to leading on [the] floor and in a locker room,” they told the Post. “Could just see it translating well, in my opinion.” They added: “But I could see either front office or coaching in his future.” — 8/15/2026 New York Post
D'Antoni on the James Harden and Chris Paul Rockets: "We thought we were the best team in the league by far that year for sure. And we had Golden State on the ropes, with their Big 3 -- Big 4, actually, they'll probably have four Hall-of-Fame guys going in. They were good, and Steve Kerr does a great job. We had 'em, you know? We had 'em, and just, Chris [Paul] got hurt, and that's just the way it goes. And then we missed 27 3s in a row, which didn't help. Analytically, I know that's not good! I knew it wasn't when we were doing it, but just a great team." — 8/14/2026 YouTube
Ramona Shelburne: "Bob Iger is a huge NBA fan. He used to have Clipper season tickets. I got to know him because he would sit center court at the Clipper games. He got to be really good friends with Chris Paul. I don't think he is still a season ticket holder for the Clippers. I didn't see him at any games last year in Intuit Dome. He is really the trump card here, guys. He is an extremely popular man in NBA circles. Remember the bubble that saved the 2020 season? That was a lot of Bob Iger and Chris Paul and Adam Silver getting on the phone and just making that happen." — 8/13/2026 YouTube
Oh No He Didn't: Dave McMenamin: "JJ Redick got an extension after his rookie year as a head coach with the Lakers. My understanding is it aligns his contract with Rob Pelinka's...I think JJ Redick's probably in a really good spot here...but will have to see where all this goes" Ramona Shleburne: "There's a couple names you should pay attention to: Chris Paul, very close friend of Bob Iger's. He's sort of a mentor to Chris Paul. Chris recently retired. He's available, incredible basketball mind. I don't know what that means for him but I expect they'll be talking" — 8/13/2026 x.com
Ramona Shelburne: ‘Chris Paul is a very good friend of Bob Iger's. He just recently retired, so he's available. I know he has some production company designs that he's done. I think he's got the world as his oyster, he can do whatever he wants, but if I'm Bob Iger, I think one of my first calls is to Chris Paul and asking how he would like to be involved, if he would like to be involved, etc. But I certainly think that's a name to watch as we go forward here.’ — 8/13/2026 YouTube
Meanwhile, in projecting what a new Lakers front office could eventually look like, multiple sources around the league suggested to ESPN that the recently retired Chris Paul could have a role. Paul and Iger became close while the point guard played for the Clippers and Iger was a season-ticket holder. Their relationship has only strengthened over the years, sources said, with Iger hosting a book launch event at his house in 2023 for Paul's memoir, "Sixty-One," and Paul visiting Iger at his Disney office in Burbank, California, in March to support his friend when he cleared out his belongings to close out a 52-year run with the company. — 8/13/2026 ESPN
Now that Bob Iger and Josh Kushner have taken center stage, Lakers fans are keen to know about their respective backgrounds. They’re not going to like comments Iger made about his NBA fandom during a 2021 interview on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast, which have resurfaced on Reddit on Wednesday. When speaking about his relationship with Chris Paul and his involvement in the notorious NBA bubble in Florida during the COVID 2020 season, Iger said, “I am a Clippers fan. Having moved from New York to Los Angeles back in 2000, and being a big NBA fan, I needed a team to root for. And in my youth, the Lakers were a big rival of the Knicks, the team I grew up rooting for. So I couldn’t root for the Lakers very easily; it just was not in my DNA. So I decided to adopt the Clippers, which was actually a good thing, because their seats were a lot cheaper than the Lakers,” Iger added. — 8/12/2026 New York Post
Channing Frye: "I think Allen Iverson is the one of the top three most influential players ever to play basketball. But if we're looking at careers, Chris Paul's career is better than Allen Iverson's." — 8/8/2026 YouTube
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Chris Paul on Clippers sending him home: 'One of the most disrespectful things that I've endured'
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
