The Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, according to a league official briefed on the deal.

Paul’s contract was up, and he could have gone to the Rockets as a free agent. The Clippers worked out the deal so they could receive something in return for him. The deal will enable Paul to make more money than he would have if he had left as a free agent.

The Clippers will receive seven players, including Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Sam Dekker, and a 2018 first-round pick, according to multiple news media reports. The deal will also open up salary-cap space for them in the near future.

The deal was first reported by Yahoo Sports.

Paul, 32, is a nine-time All-Star. He will team with a bona fide superstar, James Harden, to give the Rockets a formidable lineup to challenge the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.