Tyronn Lue responds to the Paul incident: The claim that we haven't communicated for weeks is false; whether he returns depends on Frank.

On December 10th, Beijing time, the Clippers conducted a training session. Head coach Tyronn Lue gave an interview discussing his relationship with Chris Paul and the recent rumors suggesting they hadn't communicated for weeks. Here is the full transcript—

Reporter: What kind of basketball legacy do you think Chris Paul will leave in the league?

Lue: He is unquestionably a Hall of Famer and one of the top five or six point guards ever. You also know what he means to the Clippers — when I first worked with the team, it was fun to see him playing alongside Griffin, Jordan, Redick, and Crawford. Those years will always be remembered. So, seeing his current situation is tough for me, but even so, his place in history remains secure.

Reporter: Would you say he is one of the last of the traditional elite point guards? Given how much the point guard role and the league’s playing style have changed nowadays.

Lue: I need to review the historical rankings carefully, but he is the kind of player who controls the pace of the game — nine-time All-Defensive Team, former league assist leader. Like I said before, very few players have achieved what he has.

Reporter: There were reports that in the weeks before the team decided to part ways with him, you two barely communicated, and even that he reached out to you to meet and talk. Is that true?

Lue: That’s not true. We have always discussed his playing time. If he was going to be on the court, I would definitely communicate with him. Of course, there was a difficult period — when we informed him he would be taken out of the rotation and not playing temporarily. That was a big blow to his competitive spirit because basketball means everything to him, and he gives it his all every day. But after that phase, our communication did decrease.

Reporter: Griffin previously said on a show that he talked with Paul, and Paul mentioned that since the team made the decision, neither Ballmer nor you have contacted him. Is that also false?

Lue: No, I really haven’t heard from him since then.

Reporter: Were you involved in the final conversation about his release?

Lue: No, I was not.

Reporter: Has the team atmosphere changed because of this?

Lue: You mean the impact of the Paul situation on the team environment? Like I said before, the players aren’t happy about it. Paul was their daily teammate and part of the team, so this situation is painful. However, management has made their decision, and we have to move forward and focus on winning. I don’t believe the atmosphere will be completely altered by his departure. Nobody wanted to see him leave like this, and he himself isn’t feeling good about it. There’s nothing to dwell on now; the priority is winning games.

Reporter: Has the team tried to bring him back? You’ve had cases before where players left temporarily and returned after a week or two. Why did this situation become irreconcilable?

Lue: You’d have to ask Lawrence (Clippers president Frank) that question.

Reporter: Are you the kind of person who reflects back and wonders if things could have been handled differently, whether about Paul or other decisions this season?

Lue: Regarding Paul, there is no conflict between us. He’s a highly competitive player who wants to play, which is totally understandable. So, yes, he was initially frustrated, but we talked it through and even had a 40-minute phone call — he is my brother, my friend. No one wants to see him in this situation. But now, we have to focus on winning and stay highly concentrated.