“I almost threw a party. All I wanted was some help” - Charles Barkley once revealed his initial reaction after getting traded to the Phoenix Suns

In 1992, Charles Barkley decided to move on from the Philadelphia 76ers , the team that drafted him, after eight years of having constant struggles to get them over the hump. “Sir Charles” requested a trade because he felt the Sixers weren’t giving him the support he needed and that the organization made too many changes during his tenure. So when Barkley was acquired by the Phoenix Suns, he couldn’t help but express his jubilation.

“ I almost threw a party. All I wanted was some help. All you really want is a chance to win. I feel bad for guys like KG, because guys just want a chance. I got three chances in Phoenix, and that was all I could ask for ,” Barkley told SLAM.

Barkley’s tenure with the Suns

What made Barkley 's four-year run with the Suns different compared to his Sixers tenure was that he was the focal point of a contending team. “The Chuckster” averaged 23.4 points and 11.5 rebounds in the 278 games he played as a Sun. He even won the league MVP in his first year with the team.

Perhaps Chuck's greatest achievement in his NBA career was carrying the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1993. Unfortunately, they ran into Michael Jordan and the '90s Chicago Bulls, who were at the peak of their golden dynasty during that year.

“ They were too good. The Bulls beat everybody, they won six championships. They were really good defensively. It’s really amazing how it works. MJ was the best player ever. Pippen was a good player, and things just fell into place for them ,” Barkley added.

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One of the greatest players to never win a ring

Barkley may be the biggest punching bag when it comes to jokes about Hall of Famers not having rings. He hears it all the time on the “Inside the NBA” booth, especially from Shaquille O’Neal . But make no mistake: the 11-time All-Star was indeed one of the 75 best NBA players to ever play the game. It just so happened that he ran into Jordan and the Bulls, who crushed a lot of other Hall of Famers’ hopes and dreams of winning an NBA championship as well.

Barkley was a star in his own right and will be remembered not only for his Hall of Fame career but also as one of the most fundamental players in Suns' history.

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