​There’s never been a better moment to recall a handful of familiar names from the world of sports. The Sports Reference sites have made it simple to dust off role players from bygone eras across America’s major leagues. Need Tim Naehring’s 1996 home run total? Consider it done. Trying to remember whether Errict Rhett was legitimately good or merely getting carrying duties on bad teams? The answer is the latter. Does Felix Potvin’s portrait resemble a 1940s mug shot? You’d better believe it does. Remembering players has become a handy shorthand, a way to bridge conversations during those awkward silences. Run out of things to say at the tailgate? How about Earl Bennett? Rico Brogna? Tony Meola? It’s a cheat code for connection, weaving sports and nostalgia together in a way that goes beyond trophy cases and heartbreak.
The Los Angeles Lakers have experienced both in the last decade. On Wednesday, the team extended that connective tissue by releasing their own “remember some guys” playlist. They didn’t merely relinquish LeBron James’ rights to free up cap space for a prospective spending spree. They also let go of the rights to players who haven’t been active in the NBA for years: Dion Waiters, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington. For a long stretch, Los Angeles had a roster of aging three-and-D specialists, itching to shine again in their mid-to-late 30s. In effect, a once-mighty 2015 title contender became a relic etched into the Lakers’ 2026 cap sheet. Now Jared Dudley is free to sign wherever he pleases, just days before his 41st birthday and five seasons removed from his last NBA game.
July can feel like a rough stretch for sports fans. The World Cup is winding down, baseball has reached its All-Star break, and the WNBA is settling into its regular schedule. With a lull in meaningful games, it’s an ideal time to spotlight both the stars and the non-stars from our shared past. Today, the Los Angeles Lakers have offered a fitting assist in that regard.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Lakers’ renounced rights to a “remember some guys” all-star lineup for better SEO.