Chris Paul: ‘I’m still scared by it all. Still processing everything. But I’m staying ready.’

What’s next for Chris Paul?

He has been sent away from the Clippers (something handled sloppily), but what comes next? NBA insider Chris Haynes texted with Paul and got this response:

“I’m just staying ready. I’m hooping right now. I don’t know what’s next. I’m still scarred by it all. Still processing everything. But I’m staying ready.”

Haynes also got CP3’s thought process behind his cryptic Instagram story of the definition of “leeway.”

The reality of what is next for Chris Paul is a little more complex.

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While he is away from the team, the Clippers have not released him and reportedly are working with him on a potential trade. However, league sources told NBC Sports that teams with interest in Paul are going to sit back and wait for him to be released, then sign him as a free agent rather than giving up anything in a deal. The Clippers are up against their first-apron hard cap and can’t release Paul and replace him with another veteran minimum contract. LA can’t afford that until January (they could release him and promote two-way player Kobe Sanders to a regular contract, staying below that line). Beyond that, Paul signed in Los Angeles to be close to his family, he’s not likely to want to go far away to end his career (there is one other team in Los Angeles, but it also is up against a first apron hard cap and is not in a position to bring anyone in for a while, and when they do an older backup guard is not likely the need). It will be interesting to see which teams step up to try to sign him once they can.

Paul may need to be hooping and staying ready on his own for a while.

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