Rivers talked Lou Williams out of retiring after trade to Clippers: 'I was done'

Lou Williams has become a key member of the Los Angeles Clippers since arriving in a trade in 2017, but the veteran guard seriously contemplated retirement when the team became his third NBA stop in six months.

"I was done," Williams told Stadium's Shams Charania. "Yeah, I was done. ... You kind of look around and you got to be realistic with yourself. Like, is this it?

"We've seen this movie before when guys are getting bounced around ... eventually, it's going to stop bouncing. You're going to be sitting at home waiting for a phone call."

Williams began the 2016-17 season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers before being dealt to the Houston Rockets midseason. He was just two years removed from winning his first Sixth Man of the Year award and enjoyed arguably his best NBA campaign amid the shuffle, averaging a then-career-high 17.5 points per game while leading all qualified reserve players in scoring and free-throw attempts per contest.

But despite Williams' success on the court, the offseason trade to the Clippers had the former second-round pick set on walking away from the game - until his new head coach, Doc Rivers, talked him out of it.

"I had a conversation with Doc and he was like, 'I don't know what these other teams are thinking, but we need you and you can get comfortable. You're gonna be here,'" Williams said. "That meant a lot to me and it kind of gave me the confidence and the reassurance to get prepared for the season and I'm glad I did."

Williams has reached new heights with the Clippers. The 33-year-old won back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awards in 2018 and 2019, setting career highs in assists in each of his first two seasons with the team while cracking at least 20 points per game for the first time. Last season, he passed Dell Curry as the NBA's all-time leader in points off the bench.