Things didn’t exactly end on the best terms between Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets. Rumors of discord between him and James Harden percolated for months, and despite the organization’s insistence that they would not trade him, he was ultimately dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a package for Russell Westbrook during the offseason. 

Paul, a 15-year veteran who joined the Rockets in order to compete for a championship, was not a great fit for the rebuilding Thunder on paper. The Thunder reportedly discussed trading him to the Miami Heat, but could not agree on a deal. Now Paul will spend at least the beginning of one of his precious few remaining NBA seasons playing for the Thunder, hardly an ideal outcome for either side. 

The Rockets, at least, are happy enough with their end of the deal. They landed Westbrook, who has played well for them so far this season. And in an effort to show that there are no hard feelings, they even ran a tribute video at the Toyota Center to celebrate Paul’s brief tenure with the team during his first game back in Houston on Monday night. 

Obviously, this seems like a strange decision given how little the Rockets actually accomplished during Paul’s two seasons in Houston. They never won a championship or reached the NBA Finals. He never made an All-Star team. His relationship with Houston’s franchise player appeared strained to say the least, and the wounds of this summer’s trade are still quite fresh considering this is only Oklahoma City’s fourth game of the season. 

But as awkward as it seems, apology tributes are becoming a standard in the NBA. Once Isaiah Thomas got one after being traded by the Boston Celtics, they became a way to pretend as if there are no hard feelings. 

In truth, there usually are, and a four-minute video won’t get Paul any closer to the championship he could have won in Houston. Tributes can be a powerful thing for both players and teams, but it would be easier for all parties involved if they were limited to longer-tenured players who left for reasons other than blindsiding trades.