Podcast Summary: The Ringer NBA Show – Real Ones

Episode: Chris Paul Officially Calls It a Career. Plus, the Beef Between Ja and Klay.
Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Howard Beck, Raja Bell

Overview

This episode of “Real Ones” centers on two major topics:

1. The legacy of Chris Paul following his (quietly announced) retirement
2. The brewing beef between Ja Morant and Klay Thompson, exploring NBA hierarchies, self-awareness, and respect
   The hosts also briefly debate a recent end-game “etiquette” controversy involving Derrick Queen.

The conversation is lively, heartfelt, and often brutally honest—balancing reverence, critique, and insider stories.

1. Chris Paul’s Career and Legacy (02:09–39:00)

The Understated Retirement Announcement (02:09–02:52)

• Logan expresses disappointment that Chris Paul’s career ended with a Saturday “news dump,” not the grandeur a top-5 point guard deserves.
  • “This doesn’t deserve a Saturday news dump...this guy is a top three, top five point guard. We need to celebrate this guy.” —Logan [02:52]

Where Does Chris Paul Rank Among All-Time Point Guards? (03:26–05:40)

• Howard lists legendary point guards and notes the difficulty in ranking across eras but places Chris Paul firmly in the top five.
  • “Magic is the consensus...then it starts to become preference...Is Chris Paul all-time no worse than a top five all time great at point guard? Yeah...Dude is just a flat out winner.” —Howard [05:10]
• Chris Paul missed the playoffs only five times in 20 seasons and was rarely on a non-winning team, often transforming franchises instantly.
  • “Every team he was on, he made a winner, and that includes going to the Phoenix Suns who hadn’t made the playoffs in 10 years and immediately getting them to the finals.” —Howard [06:50]

What Was it Like Playing Against Chris Paul? (07:13–10:22)

• Raja uses “dirty” (in a complimentary sense)—CP3 would do anything to win, sometimes “crossing the line” in service of competition.
  • “If you said, ‘Hey bro, we got to get down into the gutter to go get this game, will you go there?’ The answer was yes...He would try rip your arm off if it meant he could win that game.” —Raja [09:23]
• Chris’s ultra-competitive mentality rubbed off on both opponents and teammates.

The “Politician,” the Teammate, and the Relentless Competitor (10:22–17:29)

• Chris Paul’s intensity forged winners but often wore out teammates and coaches (e.g. the “Lob City” Clippers, the Rockets).
  • “He burned out opponents, but he also burned out teammates...his relationship with James Harden took a toll as a result of that...that’s also part of his legacy too.” —Logan [11:05]
  • “Let me deal with the asshole that is doing it for the reasons that you’re talking about...Give me the one that ruffles feathers because he demands so much out of his teammates and wants to win games...” —Raja [16:18]
• Parallel to Kobe and MJ, sometimes greatness comes with difficult personality traits.

Evolution: From Relentless Rival to Revered Mentor (17:29–21:35)

• Logan asks why younger players often love CP3, while his peers struggled with him.
  • Raja explains: as vets age, ego relaxes, threat perception fades, and the focus shifts to mentoring, not leading.
  • “What prevents you from being open...is the perceived threat...But as you get older and you’ve accomplished and you’re not threatened in the same way, you see the end, right, now we’re talking mortality...and so there’s a relaxation that comes into play.” —Raja [18:43]

“Sliding Doors” and the Biggest What-Ifs (21:37–28:38)

• Howard revisits key junctures:
  • If only Chris Paul’s trade to the Lakers (to join Kobe) hadn’t been vetoed...
    • “Kobe and Chris Paul together...That would not have lasted very long...That would have been like, bright and pretty...then it’s gone.” —Howard/Raja [25:45]
  • The ripple effect CP3 had: turning the Clippers into an actual destination, mentoring OKC’s young core, and the Suns’ Finals run.
• CP3 as possibly the “last true point guard” in the NBA, prioritizing orchestrating over scoring.
  • “Chris Paul strikes me as like one of the last, if not the last, true point guards...Chris Paul was there to make the pass, he was there to run the offense and we don’t have a lot of that anymore.” —Howard [27:26]
  • Raja asserts old-school point guard play has practically disappeared in today’s NBA, with scoring being prioritized. [28:38]

Chris Paul’s Ultimate Legacy (31:37–39:00)

• Logan sees CP3 as Stockton’s spiritual successor — a pure facilitator and competitor.
• Howard: “He’s just an absolute flat out winner. It does not have to involve a championship to say that.” [32:39]
• They acknowledge the championship drought and untimely injuries but point out CP3 overachieved with every team.
• Raja shares a heartfelt story about CP3’s presence and mentorship on the youth basketball circuit:
  • “His footprint and his legacy are bigger than what he wound up doing in the NBA because he gave back in that way tremendously.” —Raja [36:19]
• Chris Paul is deeply proud of his clinics and AAU programs, cultivating the next generation of players.

2. Ja Morant vs. Klay Thompson: Respect, Reputation, and Hooper Logic (41:17–54:22)

The Incident Recap & Klay’s Brutal Calm (41:17–44:16)

• Klay (after an on-court clash):
  • “Ja’s a funny guy. He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability...it’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench...It’s kind of the story of his career so far—just leave us wanting more.” —Klay Thompson [42:10]
• Raja: “He...calmly gutted Ja Morant. And I think a lot of the points he made hit squarely on the nail’s head...it was hilarious.” [43:07]

Hierarchy, Self-Awareness, and “Hooper vs. Accomplishment” (44:16–51:29)

• Should Ja be calling out Klay (a future Hall of Famer) from the bench?
• Raja: In “hooper logic,” pure skill and bag > résumé; Ja likely sees himself as the better player, regardless of team accomplishments.
  • “John Morant’s probably looking at it from a purely Hooper’s lens...I can fucking dunk...He’s got a bag...” —Raja [46:00]
• Logan: Ja’s behavior exposes a lack of reverence for NBA “elders” and general self-awareness.
  • “...it’s the Ja Morant types of players that don’t necessarily...have reverence when they’re talking shit that tend to be in these types of positions...there was no self awareness from Ja.” —Logan [47:28]
• Clay’s stinging critique (“great responsibility,” “rarely takes accountability”) echoes what the NBA and media have been quietly discussing about Ja.

Ja Morant, Public Perception, and the Franchise (51:29–54:22)

• Howard references Blake Griffin calling “self awareness” the NBA’s most underrated skill.
  • “The criticism is legit and you should, like, think about it and try to evolve. The problem with Ja...is that no matter what has happened...it doesn’t look like he is prepared to evolve or even is aware that he needs to as a player and as a person.” —Howard [53:04]
• Raja: The franchise (and league) has enabled Ja, much like a negligent parent.
  • “...I lost the feeling of sorriness for the dad. Because you raised that little mofo. You let him do that shit...That’s the way I feel about the Grizzlies and the NBA.” —Raja [54:32]

3. Did Derrick Queen Disrespect the Basketball Gods? (56:19–61:00)

The Play (56:32–58:47)

• Hawks are dribbling out a blowout win; Derrick Queen unexpectedly steals and dunks with seconds left.
• Did he break an “unwritten rule”? The Hawks are furious; broadcasts disagree.

Hosts’ Take

• Raja: “I say just play basketball to the end...If you just hoop, then we accept just hooping as the protocol...no one's in their feelings about...last 10 seconds.” [58:28]
• Acknowledges “it was tacky” by traditional etiquette—but playing to the buzzer would eliminate the controversy.
• Logan: Even with the dunk, Queen’s team still lost big: “the basketball gods will still, like, take care of that no matter what.” [59:09]
• Howard finds the contrast in local TV reactions (one horrified, the other cheering) hilarious.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Let me deal with the asshole that is doing it for the reasons...wants to win games, holds everybody accountable...even if we’re just going to be overboard...” —Raja on accepting CP3’s style [16:18]
• “What more could you ask for from an all-time great?” —Howard on CP3’s influence and longevity [36:12]
• “He calmly and eloquently gutted Ja Morant.” —Raja on Klay’s remarks [43:07]
• “Sometimes, the criticism is legit and you should, like, think about it and try to evolve.” —Howard [53:08]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Chris Paul retrospective and ranking: 02:09–07:13
• Playing against CP3 / Legacy and Personality: 07:13–21:35
• What-ifs and the Lakers veto: 21:37–28:38
• Pure point guard debate / Evolution: 28:38–31:37
• Legacy summaries / Youth mentorship: 31:37–39:00
• Ja Morant vs. Klay beef (story and analysis): 41:17–54:22
• Derrick Queen “basketball gods” debate: 56:19–61:00

Tone & Style

• The conversation is candid, humorous, reverential, but also unflinching—particularly when discussing difficult topics like Ja Morant’s maturity or Chris Paul’s interpersonal challenges.
• The hosts blend NBA insider knowledge, personal anecdotes, and a love of old-school basketball values.

This summary captures the heart of the episode—deep dives on basketball legacy, cultural codes, and the perennial tension between individual talent and team harmony.