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Lou Williams wanted to retire as a Clipper. But the team unexpectedly traded him for Rajon Rondo, sending the former Sixth Man of The Year to Atlanta. Williams struggled with coming to terms with his new situation — so much that he thought about retiring before playing a game for the Hawks. He opened up about it in a recent interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks.

Emotional Rollercoaster

In an Instagram post one day after the trade, Williams started his caption by saying, “I thought about retiring yesterday.” After spending his entire career as a trade piece and finally feeling as if he had found a permanent home, being involved in yet another move shocked Williams.

“It took me a few days to get here because once I arrived, I wanted my energy to be positive,” Williams said last season in his first interview as a Hawk. “I didn’t want the guys to look at it like I didn’t want to be here. It wasn’t personal against the Hawks. I just needed time to figure out what was best for myself at this stage of my career, but now I’m here and I’ve been embraced. Seems as though guys want me here, so I’m ready to get back to work and make this push.”

Then the 34-year-old veteran got his act together, providing a much-needed spark in 24 games played for the Hawks — he averaged 10 points on 44.4% shooting from the floor. Williams did much of the same in the playoffs, providing veteran minutes off the bench in Atlanta’s deep playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Once he accepted he was no longer a Clipper, Williams did what the Hawks expected him to do. But those first days after the trade, it seemed their investment would never pay off. Williams himself admitted to it.

“I had conversations with my family and friends and I was like, ‘It’s over,'” Williams said. “I kinda cried a little bit, I’ll be open about that, you know? I kind of cried and I took a nap and I woke up and I had a conversation with my agent, he was like, ‘man, take a deep breath, we’ll talk tomorrow.

"I just felt like I had put so much time, energy, and effort into creating this special place in LA. I felt like I owed that to the Clipper fans. I wanted to do that for that fan base. Once that was over, I just felt funny about moving forward, you know?"

What’s Next for Williams?

Williams has been in this league long enough to know players’ wishes do not always match the organizations’ needs. That’s why, once the initial shock had passed, he conducted himself like a true pro and even re-signed with the Hawks this past summer.

If this ends up being his farewell NBA season, playing in his hometown seems like a good way to go. It’s not how Williams envisioned his retirement, nor his last few seasons in the league, but that’s the business side of the NBA. Some would say it’s cruel; Williams himself would not.

He’d suit up and continue to be one of the best bench scorers we’ve ever seen, because no matter where he plays, one thing has always been true about Lou Williams — the man is a walking bucket.

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