Who is happiest about the Clippers being eliminated? Paul promptly updated his social media: posting a famous meme to mock his former team.

On April 16 Beijing time, the NBA play-in tournament continued, with the Clippers losing 121-126 to the Warriors, marking the end of their season. After the game, Paul, who was discarded by the Clippers, immediately updated his Instagram story, posting a widely-known internet meme to ridicule his old team.

The person in the picture is Big Fendi (real name Big Fend, also known as Big Fendi), an American music industry professional, and this image is a globally recognized internet meme. The photo was originally posted by Big Fendi himself on Instagram, captioned: "I stopped by my biggest hater's funeral just to make sure he was really dead." It was later widely shared and used for mocking purposes.

During the 2025 offseason, Paul returned to the Clippers on a minimum contract, hoping for a "homecoming and perfect farewell," but after playing 16 games, he was abruptly sent away, indefinitely sidelined, and eventually traded, becoming one of the most awkward veteran endings in recent NBA history.

The Clippers' initial role for Paul: a quiet bench leader, locker room mentor, not interfering with tactics or management. However, Paul publicly held the entire team (players, coaches, management) accountable, criticizing chaotic tactics, insufficient training, and poor player attitude, and was labeled by the team as a "(destructive)" factor. He proactively offered advice to teammates, led substitute training, and arranged tactics during breaks, which was seen as overstepping authority and challenging the coach's authority.

Lue repeatedly rejected Paul's tactical suggestions, and the two did not speak for weeks; Paul requested a face-to-face meeting to resolve the conflict, which Lue directly refused. He also had conflicts with assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy; when sitting together on the bench with Van Gundy, Paul sarcastically asked, "You're not talking to me?" Van Gundy scoffed and questioned his sincerity. During a game against the Mavericks, Paul suggested not having the recently returned Leonard defend against Klay, which Van Gundy accused as "unauthorized tactic changes"; Paul publicly sought confirmation from Leonard, seen as publicly embarrassing the coaching staff.

On December 2, 2025, at an Atlanta away-game hotel, Clippers president Frank notified Paul late at night, unilaterally: immediate departure, separation. Paul was unprepared and requested the promised meeting, but Frank refused: "I can't do it, go back."

Afterward, Paul was indefinitely sidelined, traded to the Raptors on the 2026 February trade deadline, then waived and announced his retirement.