Every Lakers jersey tells a story, and number 35 belongs to a player whose legacy is tied to one of the most pivotal trades in franchise history. Don Ford may not be a household name, but his time in purple and gold helped shape the dynasty that followed.

Selected in the sixth round of the 1975 NBA draft out of UC Santa Barbara, Ford arrived in Los Angeles alongside a certain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The 6-foot-9 power forward brought solid college credentials, having averaged 19.6 points and 8.4 rebounds in his senior season. Over four and a half seasons with the Lakers, Ford posted respectable numbers: 7.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in about 21 minutes per game.

But it was Ford's departure that truly made history. Early in the 1979-80 season, the Lakers sent him and a 1980 first-round pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Butch Lee and a 1982 first-rounder. That 1982 pick turned into the No. 1 overall selection, which Los Angeles used to draft a skinny forward from North Carolina named James Worthy. The rest, as they say, is basketball legend—Worthy became the perfect third piece alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem, helping the Lakers build a dynasty that defined the 1980s.

Ford finished his NBA career in Cleveland, retiring after the 1981-82 season with career averages of 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds. While his own stats may be modest, his jersey number 35 will always be a footnote in one of the greatest trades in Lakers history.