Bradley Beal is expected to reclaim No. 3 for the Clippers this season, reclaiming the number he wore for 13 years in Washington and Phoenix after yielding it last season out of respect for Chris Paul.
League sources said that Beal plans to wear No. 3, and the number is available on the team’s online store. He appeared to address the situation on social media Thursday, writing that the former Clipper is a legend and that the history and brand cannot be touched or erased.
Paul, 41, wore No. 3 from 2011 to 2017 with the franchise and again during his return last season. He was sent home in December 2025 and announced his retirement in February after 21 seasons. Beal had worn No. 0 last season, his first with the Clippers, to accommodate the veteran. He had worn No. 3 for the first 13 seasons of his career in Washington and Phoenix.
How the number changed hands
The Clippers initially assigned No. 3 to him when he signed in the summer of 2025, but team president Lawrence Frank said at the time that Beal offered the number back once Paul joined the roster. With the veteran retired, the number reverts.
Frank told him in February that his No. 3 jersey would eventually be retired by the franchise. Wearing the number during his playing career does not prevent the Clippers from honoring Paul with a jersey retirement at some future point.
Paul’s departure
He was outspoken about his abrupt departure in an interview published last week, calling it among the most disrespectful things he had endured. He is the franchise’s career leader in assists, led the team to the playoffs in six consecutive seasons and was the central figure of the Lob City era alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
Beal’s situation
He was limited to six games last season due to injury. He re-signed with the Clippers this summer on a two-year, $13.2 million contract. His return to a number he wore for most of his career is both a personal preference and, in the context of the legacy involved, a gesture he has publicly acknowledged with care.
The Clippers are heading into the 2026-27 season under significant organizational pressure following the NBA’s punishments related to the Kawhi Leonard salary cap investigation, which included the loss of five first-round picks, a $30 million fine and a yearlong suspension of owner Steve Ballmer.
