Chris Paul used the word "disrespectful" in a podcast interview this week to describe the Los Angeles Clippers' decision to waive Russell Westbrook last February, then re-sign him 48 hours later after clearing waivers. The move saved owner Steve Ballmer roughly $46 million in luxury tax penalties but required Westbrook to accept a haircut from his $3.8 million veteran minimum to a prorated deal. Paul, who played six seasons for the franchise and still maintains a home in Brentwood, had not commented publicly on the transaction until now.
The Clippers placed Westbrook on waivers February 21, 2024, with 37 games remaining in the regular season. League rules allowed them to re-sign him after the 48-hour waiver period at a reduced salary, shaving his deal to roughly $2.3 million for the remainder of the year. The math worked: Los Angeles dropped below the second luxury tax apron, avoiding repeater penalties that would have triggered a $138 million total tax bill. Westbrook returned to the roster February 24 and played 33 games down the stretch, averaging 11.7 points and 5.1 assists while starting 19 times. The team went 22-11 in those appearances.
Paul's comment matters because it names the quiet part: front offices now routinely treat veteran minimums as disposable salary instruments, and players are noticing. Westbrook is represented by Thad Foucher at Wasserman, whose client list includes 14 current NBA rotation players. Agents are already citing the Clippers' move in contract negotiations this summer, particularly around no-trade clauses and partial guarantees in veteran deals. One Western Conference GM said this week his front office has fielded three separate calls from agents asking whether they would "pull a Clippers" on a minimum guy to dodge the tax. The answer, he said, depends on the math.
The decision also hangs over Lawrence Frank's credibility as he tries to extend both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George past 2025. Leonard is eligible for a $221 million extension this summer; George can opt out and test free agency in 12 months. Both players watched the Westbrook transaction unfold in real time, and both have since declined to publicly commit long-term. George's agent, Aaron Mintz at CAA, has a reputation for remembering front-office slights. The Clippers already rank fourth in the league in total payroll at $193 million committed for 2024-25, with Leonard, George, and James Harden absorbing $153 million of that. If George walks, the Westbrook waive becomes a $46 million savings that cost them a max-contract star.
Paul himself left the Clippers in 2017 after the front office declined to offer him a fifth-year max extension, instead trading him to Houston for a package that included Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, and a protected first-round pick. That pick became Jerome Robinson, who played 55 games for Los Angeles before being traded to Washington. Paul has since played for Houston, Phoenix, and Golden State, earning $389 million in career salary and maintaining a reputation as the league's most politically connected player. His comment this week carries weight with the 450-member National Basketball Players Association, where he served as president for eight years.
Watch whether the league office addresses waive-and-re-sign loopholes in the next collective bargaining negotiation, scheduled for summer 2029. Watch also whether Westbrook, now 36, signs another minimum deal this offseason or retires. His agent has not commented. George's opt-out decision is due by June 29, 2025.
The takeaway
Paul's public criticism signals player-side frustration with waive-and-re-sign tax avoidance, complicating Clippers' summer extension talks with George and Leonard.
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