In a conversation with former teammate Lou Williams, Chris Paul couldn’t help but poke fun at the team’s training camp traditions… or lack thereof.
When Williams mentioned that the Clippers had held training camps in Hawaii during his tenure, Paul immediately jumped in with a playful jab:
“Y’all started going to Hawaii when I left, and then they stopped when I came back. That’s some bulls*** if I’ve ever seen. That’s crazy.”
Paul’s first stint with the Clippers ran from 2011 to 2017, a period that saw the rise of “Lob City” but ultimately ended without a deep playoff run. After he was traded to the Houston Rockets in the summer of 2017, the Clippers began holding training camps in Hawaii, a perk Paul never got to enjoy.
For several seasons, the team made the trip to Honolulu, combining preseason preparation with a tropical backdrop. But now, with Paul back in Los Angeles for the twilight of his career, the Clippers have opted to keep camp local at their state‑of‑the‑art facilities.
Williams, never one to miss a punchline, teased that the decision probably came down to owner Steve Ballmer’s priorities.
“I looked around and said, ‘Ballmer spent that money. He wants to see y’all in the practice gyms back there,’” Williams joked.
At 40 years old, Paul isn’t the same player who once finished third in MVP voting as a Clipper, but he remains a respected leader and floor general. His return to the franchise has been framed as both a homecoming and a chance to mentor a roster still chasing its first championship.
The Hawaii quip, though, shows that Paul hasn’t lost his sense of humor, even if he feels a little cheated out of some sun and sand.
The Clippers’ decision to keep training camp in Los Angeles makes sense given their new Intuit Dome arena and practice facilities. Still, Paul’s comments struck a chord with fans, many of whom joked online that the veteran point guard “deserved at least one Hawaii camp” after everything he gave the franchise.
