John Wall took a pay cut to escape Houston.
The 31-year-old All-Star point guard agreed to a buyout with the Rockets and plans to sign a free-agent deal with the Clippers, ESPN reported Monday night.
Wall — who was owed $47.4 million from the Rockets after exercising the player option for the final year of his contract — reportedly agreed to take $6.5 million less to become a free agent.
Clippers star Paul George appeared to react to the Wall news on his Instagram Story on Monday night, adding an eyeball emoji over an old photo of the two leaning in for a high five. Wall has yet to address the report publicly, as of Tuesday morning.
Wall did not play last season after the point guard and Houston agreed he would sit out while the team focused on rebuilding and developing their young talent in Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
The five-time All-Star split his time last season between working out solo in Miami and participating in practices, as well as sitting on the bench during games.
Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 40 games for the Rockets in 2020-21 — after missing the 2019-20 season due to heel surgery and a torn Achilles tendon.
Wall was traded to Houston along with a future first-round pick for Russell Westbrook in Dec. 2020, after spending the first 11 years of his career with the Wizards, who selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft.
Given his similarly bloated contract, there were reports linking Wall and Westbrook again last season in trade rumors. However, the Lakers balked at giving up a future draft pick in the deal.
Wall has been productive while healthy, and could add veteran playmaking to the Clippers, who already have a solid duo in George and Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard is on track to return after missing the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from a partially torn ACL in his right knee.
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