In the span of less than 48 hours, two NBA point guards ticketed for the Hall of Fame -- Steve Nash and Jason Kidd -- joined teams desperate for a spark.
For the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, the hope is that Nash and Kidd will remain effective players despite their advanced age.
There's risk here, of course. Dealing with a former star past his expiration date can be unpleasant business. All veterans want to go out like John Elway with the Denver Broncos. The reality is most go out like Joe Namath with the Los Angeles Rams.
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With that in mind, here's a look at a list of teams who brought in a future Hall of Famer with the hopes at one last run of glory.
6. Deion Sanders: Baltimore Ravens (2004-05)
The setup: Sanders was coaxed out of retirement by Ray Lewis & Co. to play nickelback for two mediocre Ravens teams in 2004 and 2005.
The result: Though he was never a stranger to changing teams in his career, Sanders looked out of place wearing No. 37 with Baltimore. His pick six against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6 of 2004 gave us some Tomagotchi-level '90s nostalgia, but on balance, Sanders' return carried an air of superfluousness.
5. Jerry Rice: Oakland Raiders (2000-2004), Seattle Seahawks (2004)
The result: Crossing the bay rejuvenated Rice, who put up back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2000 and 2001. He faded after that and was a non-entity by the end of his run with the Seahawks.
4. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (2012-??)
The setup: We're pretty sure you know the backstory here. Please tell me you know the backstory here. If you don't, what planet are you from? Are you a peaceful race? We mean you no harm.
The result: Time will tell if Denver gets the same Manning that last played in Indianapolis, but don't bet against him.
3. LaDainian Tomlinson: New York Jets (2010-11)
The setup: After building a Hall of Fame resume over nine seasons with the San Diego Chargers, Tomlinson signed with Rex Ryan's Jets in search of a Super Bowl ring.
The result: Tomlinson surprisingly beat out Shonn Greene for the starting tailback job in 2010 and played a key role in the Jets' run to the AFC Championship Game. He had a reduced role in 2011, aired the Jets' dirty laundry after the season, then retired a Charger last month.
2. Joe Montana: Kansas City Chiefs (1993-94)
The setup: After building a compelling G.O.A.T. resume with the San Francisco 49ers, Montana signed with Kansas City, where he played two more seasons before calling it quits.
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1. Brett Favre: New York Jets (2008), Minnesota Vikings (2009-10)
The setup: Favre retired after the 2008 season only to change his mind. The Packers determined they were ready to move on without the ol' gunslinger, so they shipped him out of the conference to the Jets. After one season, Favre said he was retiring again before joining the Vikings for his final two seasons.
*The result: *History forgets this now, but Favre and the Jets appeared to be a great match at one point. The Jets were 8-3 and atop the AFC East heading into the final month of the regular season before Favre suffered an arm injury that doomed New York's season. Favre was a MVP-level performer in 2009 with the Vikings, nearly leading the team to the Super Bowl. His final season was a mess, plagued by losses, scandal (Jenn Sterger ring a bell?) and injury.
