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Bradley Beal re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $13.2 million deal last month, looking to redeem himself after playing just six games and averaging a career-low eight points per game in his first year with the Clippers last season. However, before the 2026-27 training camp even started, Beal was already mired in a controversy.
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After wearing jersey number “0” last season, Beal has apparently chosen to don the No. 3 jersey, which he wore when he was with the Washington Wizards. However, that number belonged to Chris Paul, and everyone was expecting the Clippers to retire it for him.
When a fan posted a screenshot from the Clippers’ online store showing No.3 Beal jerseys available for sale, the internet erupted in support of CP while criticizing the Clippers and Beal for the disrespect. Brad, however, was unmoved by the negative talk.
“Is that the topic of the day? Lol,” he wrote on ‘X.’
Lawrence Frank told CP3 they will retire No.3 for him
It wasn’t really the main topic of the day, but it generated a lot of interest from netizens. Paul told Carmelo Anthony last February, while guesting on the latter’s podcast, that before suspended Clippers president Lawrence Frank infamously sent Paul home, he had been told they were going to retire No. 3 in his honor.
CP3 wore that number during his first stint with the Clippers from 2011-2017, where he and Blake Griffin ushered in the “Lob City” era, which turned the franchise from perennial whipping boy of the league to one of its top contenders year after year. But after his disastrous second stint with them last season, Paul and the Clippers may not be on the best of terms.
“He’s a legend! The history and brand can’t be touched nor erased,” Beal tweeted a second time on the issue.
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Paul talked about the disrespect he got from the Clippers
It’s unclear when Beal decided to change his jersey number. However, it was just recently on the “Build or Break” podcast that Paul expressed his disappointment at the disrespect he received from the Clippers during his second tour of duty with them last season.
“What’s interesting about that whole situation is it’s probably one of the most disrespectful things that I’ve endured. I’ve been through a lot of wild stuff in my career,” CP3
“Obviously, I was upset, but my family, my people, everybody. I think just because of the investment we made in the team for as long as we have, and to see the way stuff was handled, what it lets you know is that no matter what you do or what you’ve done, nobody cares. Seriously, nobody cares. Nobody cares, and it teaches you. It’s another learning lesson,” he added.
Paul has done more than enough to deserve getting his number retired. Beal can talk about CP’s legacy or history being untouched, but he still took the jersey knowing it was CP’s old number. Also, he can claim that he didn’t watch Melo’s podcast, so he’s unaware of the verbal agreement between CP and Lawrence Frank about that jersey. But yeah, he should have just stuck to wearing zero.
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