When the news broke that the Los Angeles Clippers were sending Chris Paul home in a bizarre turn of events, it sure felt like the final nail in the coffin for what was looking like a nightmare season.
At that point, the Clippers were 5-16, riding a five-game losing streak and riddled with injuries. For a team that was struggling and needed all the help that they could get, dumping your franchise's most beloved player, on what was supposed to be his retirement tour, was definitely not a good look.
For the next few weeks, things would remain bleak and the Clippers would end up at 6-21 right before the Holidays.
Fast-forward to late January, and the Clippers are all of a sudden back in the postseason mix and are on track to reach at least 45 wins this season. They're currently 21-24, and have won 15 of their last 18 games, the best in the NBA in that stretch.
By all accounts, the Clippers have turned things around. While many factors have contributed to the team's recent surge, NBA champion Kendrick Perkins suggests Paul's absence may be a factor.
On Monday's episode of NBA Today, Perkins floated the idea that the Clippers started playing with better chemistry and a sense of togetherness after they sent Paul home.
"Listen, in order for a team to go 15-3 over their last 18 games, they gotta have chemistry. In order for guys to be stars in their role, what we're starting to witness, it gotta be a sense of togetherness," Perkins said . "In order for coaches to be able to do their job at the highest level, ala Ty Lue, ala [Jeff] Van Gundy, you gotta have guys to buy in."
"And right now, this is what we're seeing. We're seeing togetherness in this group, and this togetherness has transformed since they've released a certain individual in CP3," he added.
Considering that there were reports of Paul doing a little bit too much in the locker room, maybe Big Perk has a point.
Still, the former enforcer maintained that he wasn't putting the Clippers' success solely on Paul's dismissal.
"Now I'm not pointing a finger, I'm just stating the obvious. The obvious is, this group looks together, they have crawled their way back into the Play-In Tournament, and they're gonna continue to grow under the leadership of Kawhi [Leonard], James [ Harden ] and T-Lue, and this team could be a problem come the postseason," he added.
At the end of the day, however, it's probably not fair to pin the Clippers' early-season struggles on Paul, any more than it would be fair to assume the team has been better since his exit.
When Paul was sent home, the Clippers were 5-16, and they went on to lose a bunch more games, reaching 6-21 at one point. Indeed, the Clippers are playing with chemistry and togetherness, but it's not because of Paul's absence.
The Clippers' recent surge can be attributed to improved overall play. Over the last 18 games, the Clippers are in the top five in both offensive rating and net rating, which means that on both ends of the floor, they've tightened things up.
It also helps that Leonard is looking like his old self. Over the last 18 games, The Klaw is averaging a league-best 31.8 points per game, while also being a beast on the defensive end.
The Clippers' other All-Star, Harden , is also putting up All-NBA worthy numbers. The Beard is averaging 25.1 points, 8 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in their 18-game run.
It's also worth noting that, due to injuries to Bradley Beal and Derrick Jones Jr. , the Clippers have had to rely on their young guns, most notably rookie Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller , who have both carved out spots in the rotation thanks to their solid play and dependability.
With a tough stretch of games and the Trade Deadline coming up, it's going to be interesting to see if the Clippers can continue their incredible turnaround and if they end up making moves – like finally moving Paul – to potentially bolster their lineup.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
