Wednesday morning's news of the pending blockbuster trade that will send LA Clippers superstar Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Sam Dekker, Lou Williams and a 2018 first-round pick sent shockwaves throughout the NBA landscape and beyond.
Paul -- who earned three First Team All-NBA and six First Team All-Defensive honors in his six seasons with the Clippers -- posted a heartfelt goodbye to Los Angeles on his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon:
Unbelievable amount of emotions right now.. pic.twitter.com/1FB7ade7uC
— Chris Paul (@CP3) June 28, 2017
The magnitude of two major shake-ups (the Paul trade, and the New York Knicks' plans to part ways with team president Phil Jackson) going down before free agency sparked a wave of reactions on Twitter:
NBA players
My brother off to a new journey! Best of luck @CP3!! H-Town y'all got a great one coming to your city. #BrotherHood🙏🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 28, 2017
When friends of mine are happy then I'm equally as happy for them. Congrats to my brother @CP3 on choosing his own direction. #Brotherhood
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 28, 2017
My boy @CapelaClint bout to get 20 lobs a game
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) June 28, 2017
What's going on NBA world lol? I finish a workout and CP a rocket ?
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) June 28, 2017
To the 🚀 Wow!! Emoji game in point 😂😂
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) June 28, 2017
So who running Point Guard? 🤔
— Brandon Jennings (@brandonjennings) June 28, 2017
Cp3 to Houston Wow. I seen the plot .. John wick
— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) June 28, 2017
Gonna miss @CP3, been thru a lot of wars, battles, ups & downs together the last 5 years.. One of the best pg's EVER. #brotherregardless
— Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) June 28, 2017
Football might be GOD(not literally) NBA offseason is number 1!!!!!
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) June 28, 2017
. @CP3 & @JHarden13 sounds great but who dominates the ball. Harden needs to the ball for his rythym. Blake & DeAndre are next to leave.
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) June 28, 2017
👀
— Bobby Brown (@BBROWNLAU) June 28, 2017
NOTHING LIKE NBA FREE AGENCY!!!
— Garrett Temple (@GTemp14) June 28, 2017
Let's get it Clippers!!! Let's get it!!!!
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) June 28, 2017
Is it too late to lock CP in a house 🏠🔐🤷🏼♂️
— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) June 28, 2017
Unfortunate to see Pat, Lou and Sam go, couldn't ask for better teammates! Good luck to you guys on your next journey
— Eric Gordon (@TheofficialEG10) June 28, 2017
Thanx houston for the love. But let's pretend like those 3 months didn't happen. No harm No foul lol.
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) June 28, 2017
The NFL also weighs in
Welcome to H-Town @CP3!
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 28, 2017
I wanted to see Chris Paul on the Spurs
— Allen Robinson II (@Thee_AR15) June 28, 2017
The NBA's 2017-18 league calendar officially begins Saturday. Given the number of stars that could be on the market, we're not sure whether Chris Paul will even be the most eye-opening move of the summer.
-- Brendan C. Hall