Clippers' Jason Williams retires

The point guard said goodbye to the Clippers before he essentially ever had time to say hello in a meaningful manner, retiring from the NBA on Friday. He had signed a one-year contract with them as a free agent all those weeks ago, on Aug. 7, and went so far as to rent a place here, according to Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy.

And so, his NBA career ended in a murky fashion -- should anyone really be surprised? -- with no public hint of what made him decide to quit only days before training camp, which opens Tuesday. His agent was not available for comment, either.

Dunleavy managed to shed a bit of light on what happened.

"It is what it is," he said on Friday. "He called us up, gave us a couple of days' notice through his agent, saying, 'I'm just not feeling like I'm wanting to come in and play. I think I'll send in my retirement papers.'

"It caught his agent off guard. It caught everybody off guard. But like I said, it's better than bringing him into camp, taking a spot, working him in and then having maybe some disappointment."

Bottom line?

"He didn't waste our time," Dunleavy said.

This was one surprise of the recent past not hurting the Clippers, in part, given the presence of backup point guard Jason Hart.

Williams broke in with Sacramento and won an NBA championship with Miami in 2006, and in between those stops, played for Memphis. His career averages were 11.4 points and 6.3 assists.

Dunleavy did have a good line about Williams not truly being done with hoops.

"He's from West Virginia," Dunleavy said. "He could be like Brett Favre. And a month from now he could want to play again."

------

The training camp roster expanded to 18 on Friday with the signing of four free agents: Dontell Jefferson, Jelani McCoy, David Noel and Curtis Sumpter.

lisa.dillman@latimes.com