Assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy and veteran guard Chris Paul reportedly clashed on several occasions during Paul’s brief stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, NBA reporter Chris Haynes said on his podcast.
The most notable incident occurred during a 29 November loss to the Dallas Mavericks. According to Haynes, Paul approached star forward Kawhi Leonard during a fourth-quarter timeout and recommended that someone else guard Klay Thompson. Leonard had just returned to the floor under a minutes restriction and, in Paul’s view, was not yet warmed up for the assignment. The Clippers accepted the suggestion and altered the matchup.
The adjustment did not sit well with Van Gundy. Haynes said the assistant coach called Paul into a meeting on the team plane the following day and questioned him about changing the defensive plan. Paul replied that he had only offered a temporary switch until Leonard found his rhythm. Van Gundy responded, “You might have had leeway in other places, but you don’t have that leeway here,” Haynes reported.
Haynes characterized the exchange as one of several verbal run-ins between the two. Paul appeared in 16 games for Los Angeles, averaging 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists before being sent home during the club’s recent trip to Atlanta amid escalating tensions.
Team sources later told Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal that Leonard and James Harden had grown frustrated with what they perceived as Paul’s constant criticism of teammates, coaches and front-office personnel.
If the Clippers decide to part ways with Paul, they can waive him and absorb his $3.6 million salary, negotiate a buyout, or wait until 15 December, when the guard becomes eligible to be traded.
Source: Hoops Wire
