Charles Barkley was picked to become the Philadelphia 76ers’ heir apparent to Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Moses Malone. The team had won the championship a year earlier and was looking forward to a bright future with Chuck as the star. They had plenty of productive campaigns for the next few years but could not return to the Finals.
That led Barkley to know his time in Philly was over by 1992, and he got traded to the Phoenix Suns for a package that included Jeff Hornacek. It was the right decision because, in his first-ever season with the Suns, he led them to a league-best 62-20 record and a Finals berth while winning regular-season MVP.
“I got a phone call from my agent saying, ‘You’ve been traded.’ So where am I going? I was going to Phoenix. I was like I don’t care how much it costs, free drinks for everyone on the plane,” Barkley said in a documentary from ESPN. “I felt like the Sixers wanted to put me out there, make the Playoffs, and lose. I couldn’t take that, ‘cause I knew there were bigger things for me.”
Barkley had limited support in Philly
Barkley was an All-Star almost every year in Philly but did not have ample support to help him. Erving retired in 1987, while Malone got traded a year before. That meant Barkley had to carry the team across multiple years. He was a phenomenal power forward who only stood at around 6’4” but was an elite rebounder.
Chuck lived up to his billing as the Round Mound of Rebound, outplaying many centers across the league. Unfortunately, he felt the team was not enough to win the championship, as seen in his final season with the 76ers in the 1991/92 campaign.
Hersey Hawkins tried his best to support him, but his 19 points per game average could not help, considering the Bulls had Scottie Pippen to pair with Michael Jordan or Clyde Drexler having a co-star like Terry Porter.
In a 1992 interview, Barkley reiterated that the team was not good enough to help him succeed and become a champion.
"Our team was just not good enough; we made too many changes," Barkley said in a 1992 post-game interview. "Our chemistry was not there, and everybody was not on the same page."
Related: Scottie Pippen on how Michael Jordan would have reacted if he left the Bulls: "He would have probably tried to shoot more and score more"
Barkley found his spot in Phoenix
After he was traded to Phoenix, Barkley felt immediately comfortable with the Suns. Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson provided ample support for the team. The team also had veterans and promising players, which led to a perfect storm as the Suns earned the top spot in the West and went to the NBA Finals.
Unfortunately, Barkley and the Suns were always competitive but could not win the championship. Chuck ended his career without a ring, which Shaquille O’Neal has made fun of him for multiple times . However, the move to Phoenix showed Sir Charles wanted to compete for a title rather than stay in Philadelphia, where he was miserable.
Related: "That guy sent me a message tonight, and I didn't like the message" - When Michael Jordan dominated Charles Barkley and the Suns in their first clash of the season
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