12x All-Star Reveals Reason for Failed Miami Heat Trade

Originally posted on FanNation All Clippers
By Joey Linn | Last updated 3/1/24

Before landing with the LA Clippers in 2011, Chris Paul was nearly sent to the Los Angeles Lakers. That story has been told countless times, but a more unknown story was revealed recently of the conversation Paul had with Dwyane Wade about joining he and LeBron James on the Miami Heat.

During a recent episode of The Why with Dwyane Wade, Paul joined the show, and the two NBA legends recalled a conversation they had about potentially teaming up before Paul landed with the Clippers.

"We talk about all this, who gonna have the ball, we can all play together... I can play off the ball," Wade said. "We figured all that out, then somebody said, 'Well, who gonna wear No. 3?'"

Having figured out how they were all going to fit together on the court, Paul and Wade were hung up on their respective jersey numbers. Both iconic for wearing No. 3, neither Wade nor Paul wanted to change numbers, which was an obstacle in getting any deal done that would make them teammates.

This was a hilarious story that the two NBA legends told, and it's wild to think how a jersey number could have potentially changed the outcome of a lot that happened in the NBA in the 2010s. Paul went on to form Lob City with the Clippers, while Wade, James, and Chris Bosh won two titles with the Heat.

This article first appeared on FanNation All Clippers and was syndicated with permission.

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