The Los Angeles Clippers cut ties with the former All-Star, Chris Paul, during a road trip. Since making the news public on Wednesday, Paul took the NBA community by storm. Fans, analysts, and former players have all chimed in on the conversation, and the latest to share his opinion on the situation is former Clippers big man DeMarcus Cousins.

“I still hate the s— out of the guy,” admitted Cousins, a rival of Paul’s from their playing days, on Run It Back. “At the end of the day, he deserves his flowers, and you can never knock him for being one of the greats in this game.”

The clip of his admission quickly went viral, and one of the responses to it was CP3 himself. The guard replied to an Instagram post of his clip, commenting, “The feeling is mutual!! 😂 But RESPECT 🫡,” keeping it brief, with a mix of humor and humility. The reply captured the dynamic between the two veterans: honest, pointed, and rooted in recognition of each other’s contributions to the game.

However, Cousins’ admission wasn’t the only thing the center talked about in the clip. He called Paul one of the “last great pick-and-roll” point guards, praising his influence on both young and old players. He pointed to the hypocrisy of the Clippers parting ways with him due to his style of leadership and accountability, saying,

“He held everybody accountable, and that was something that they loved about him. Now you move into this situation, and he’s at a different point in his career. And it was being turned into a negative.”

This means a lot coming from Cousins, who has had many public clashes with Chris Paul during his playing days. Back in 2014, the then-Sacramento Kings center even called him a “cheater,” indicating that Paul’s flopping was detrimental to the game of basketball, saying, “If that’s your tactic to winning, I don’t respect you.”

The exchange illustrates the significant progress made by the two parties and the nature of relationships within the NBA. Rivalry, admiration, and criticism can coexist, and for Paul, this was a chance to respond in a way that showed respect, all while keeping the conversation lighthearted.

Chris Paul’s Leadership Style Reportedly Behind Los Angeles Clippers Split

Chris Paul’s abrupt exit isn’t about his statistics, but rather his vocal leadership. Reports, including one from former Clippers shooting guard Lou Williams, indicate that Paul’s style of holding teammates, staff, and even the front office accountable clashed with the team’s approach. This seemingly led them to the decision to cut ties.

“Look, my criticisms are coming from a good place, and I want us to be a good team. I want us to get this right,” Paul told his teammates during a meeting, according to Williams. While his intentions were rooted in the team’s well-being, management supposedly viewed his style of communication as “disruptive”, something corroborated by ESPN insider Shams Charania.

Charania also revealed that this rift extended to even head coach Tyronn Lue, who had apparently not been speaking to the veteran point guard for several weeks before the split. The Clippers, in a statement later released by President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, claimed that the split wasn’t due to the team’s underperformance. Still, the optics of the situation aren’t doing the organization any favors.

Now, as support pours in for Paul, including several familiar faces, the Clippers’ reputation only seems to get worse.