?Deal’s Off? You?re Free to Go?: Despite 7 Loyal Years in Philadelphia, Lou Williams Recalls Ill-Treatment by 76ers

The fact is, Lou Williams was one of the best sixth men in the league’s history. He has won NBA Sixth Man of the Year 3 times, in 2015, 2018, and 2019. However, despite his skills, he was not treated well by the team that drafted him in 2005. The Philadelphia 76ers have been accused of ill-treatment of their athletes in recent times as well.

The 76ers drafted Williams in 2005 and he stayed there till 2012. However, that wasn’t a decision he made on his own but was rather forced into. Recently, he talked about not being awarded for his loyalty to the franchise.

Lou Williams exposes the 76ers

Williams had a lot of talent, especially when he started out in the league. While many people believed he was destined for bigger things, several injuries marred his career. One of the worst injuries of his career was during his time with the 76ers in 2009, when he had a fractured jaw. Although he recovered and got back into the game soon, his injury resulted from a loose ball and he had to get his jaw wired shut for about eight weeks. Despite the injuries, Williams thinks he had enough to offer that the 76ers should have considered him for a deal.

In a recent conversation with FanDuel, he unveiled being mistreated by the franchise. He said that his first game back in Philadelphia was very emotional because of his past with the 76ers. He said, “The 76ers, they offered me a deal, called me back and said ‘actually deals off the table, you’re free to go, we’re going to go in a different direction.” Williams believes he should’ve received an offer from the franchise, especially after he proved his loyalty to the team.

However, they ignored his wishes which eventually resulted in his move to the Atlanta Hawks.

A recent controversy involving the 76ers

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The most recent athlete to call out the 76ers franchise is James Harden. He arrived in Philadelphia in 2022 and within months, he had several problems with the management and went on a very public rant about it. As per Harden, he was going to be offered more money via an extension deal with the 76ers but after the team crashed out of the championship race last season, they put all his requests on the backseat.

This led to Harden publically calling out the franchise, missing the preseason team sessions, and eventually forcing their hand for a trade.

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