Clippers Move On From Chris Paul — Harden, Kawhi Shocked

Merlin sees the Clippers abruptly moving on from Chris Paul — confirmed Wednesday — while stars James Harden and Kawhi Leonard said they "woke up and saw it on social media" and were "shocked." Reports say Paul and coach Ty Lue were not "on speaking terms" for weeks; Lue admitted the signing "just didn't work out like we thought" and called Paul "not a good fit." At 6-16, the move matters because it exposes deeper chemistry and leadership issues the front office says it must address. Merlin suspects this is an attempt to reset a fraying locker room. Harden and Kawhi now must carry leadership as rotations are rewritten; if the change sparks cohesion, waiving or trading Paul could be addition by subtraction. The oracle warns fixes won't be instant — expect more roster tinkering before clarity.