"I think sometimes in fourth quarters a lot of teams just key in on Kawhi and Paul George" - John Wall outlines his importance as LA Clippers' third best player
In his last five seasons, John Wall has missed two entirely and has played in roughly half of the other three.
Following his buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets, Wall signed with the Clippers for $13 million over two years. With the $40 million the Rockets owe Wall, he will earn roughly the same as his $47 million player option.
Wall will play alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, forming a "big three" with the Clippers. However, it remains to be seen how Wall performs upon return from his Achilles injury.
Wall spoke about being the third option on the Clippers in an interview with ESPN's Ohm Youngimusk:
"That's kind of the reason I made that decision. I know I'm still a talented player, I know other things that I have worked on, especially being able to knock down catch-and-shoot shots.
"I think sometimes in the fourth quarter a lot of teams just key in on Kawhi and Paul George I think that's an opportunity for me to excel and it should be fun"
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Wall has long been a pass-first point-guard and has had more success in the paint than outside.
He can benefit the Clippers by collapsing the defense, opening up shooting, drawing the defense or defending the wing.
The situation with John Wall and the Clippers
Leonard, George and Wall are all returning from injuries. The Clippers' total payroll is expected to surpass the Warriors in 2022. According to Spotrac, the team payroll clocks in at $192 million for the 2022-23 season, the highest in the league.
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: @ESPNNBAAbsolutely love this from John Wall.
“We all got one ultimate goal as a team. It’s not about to be me vs. Reggie in training camp… It’s about what can we do to be the best fit to help this team win.”
🎥: @ESPNNBA https://t.co/jLbr4hgI76
While Steve Ballmer's deep pockets have brought Leonard and George to the Clippers, injuries have plagued their tenure.
Leonard sat out the entire season, and George played in 51 games. During that stint, the Clippers were 24-27. They finished with a 500+ record and made the play-in tournament. They lost two play-in games, missing the playoffs.