Carmelo Anthony watched the Clippers send Chris Paul home and immediately saw something deeper than a roster move. The moment felt cold, abrupt and completely out of sync with the legacy Paul built, and Anthony believed it revealed a growing disregard for veteran stars who carry the weight of entire eras. He said the Clippers treated Paul like a disposable piece even though the point guard made it clear he wanted to retire with the organization.

“What do you expect from Chris Paul right now to say that he’s not delivering?” Anthony said on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “You can’t tell me CP is that disruptive to the point where I got to send him home, bro.” His tone sharpened with each sentence. Anthony refused to accept the idea that Paul created an issue serious enough to justify an early exit in the middle of a season.

The Clippers pressed forward and cut ties with the future Hall of Famer. Anthony pressed back and used the situation as a warning to other stars who sit in a similar stage of their careers, per Heavy. Anthony Davis became one of the names he highlighted, and that comparison sent a jolt across NBA conversations.

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A Preview of What Could Hit the League’s Older Stars

Carmelo Anthony said Paul’s treatment represents a shift in how teams handle aging players who no longer serve as the long-term core. He mentioned Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and Davis as examples of stars who could face the same cold exit once their value dips below a franchise’s timeline.

“It’s happening to Russ. About to happen to DeMar DeRozan. It’s about to happen to all these ni-gas. AD. The next trade that AD have? It’s going downhill from here. This is what’s about to happen.”

Anthony believes teams can turn the page quickly once they decide the future belongs to someone younger. For him, Paul’s release showed exactly how sudden that moment can arrive.