A lot can change in a year.

This time last year, the Los Angeles Clippers were welcoming back Chris Paul for one final season, where the greatest player in franchise history, the player who brought the team to prominence with Lob City, would be honored.

It looked to be a storybook ending for one of the greatest point guards in league history.

One year later, Bradley Beal will wear number three, the number previously worn by Paul, after the team and CP3 had a tumultuous in-season split that ended with the Clippers sending the legend home, bringing an end to his career.

The decision to let Beal wear number three came as a shock to many fans, who expressed their disappointment in the organization for allowing it to happen and for Beal to even suggest it.

Speaking at Clippers media day on Monday, Beal said, “It’s no disrespect to Chris. Chris and I are amazing friends… I asked the team if 3 is available, they talked about it, [Lawrence Frank] talked about it. They came back and said we’ll do it.”

Beal has worn #3 throughout his entire career, donning the number with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns. He switched to #0 last season when he joined the Clippers since Paul had #3.

With Paul gone, Beal will now return to his old number.

The Clippers may very well still retire #3 for Paul in the coming years, which would make the decision to allow Beal to wear it even more questionable.

Paul didn’t move on and play for another team, he was booted from the team and then retired. They could’ve retired his number as early as this season, though that would’ve seemed unlikely given the circumstances surrounding his departure.

The Clippers lost some goodwill last season with Paul’s dismissal, and this offseason didn’t help with the league wrapping up its investigation into the team and allegations of salary cap circumvention that cost the team five first-round picks. Bringing an end to the Kawhi Leonard era, which ended with one Conference Finals appearance, by trading Kawhi left a bad taste in the mouth of fans.

For a franchise that lacks a legend, has zero jerseys in the rafters, and is made fun of for how they treated Blake Griffin, there was a chance to put their best foot forward and quietly make peace with “The Point God.”

Instead, Beal will carry on his own legacy wearing #3.