Trading Jahlil Okafor Could Parallel The Charles Barkley Fiasco

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Mar 17, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers special advisor Jerry Colangelo (M) sits courtside during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Wells Fargo Center. The Washington Wizards won 99-94. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

My Momma Told Me You Betta Shop Around

When the Sixers shopped Charles Barkley in 1992, the perception was that he no longer fit in the locker room, that the team would be better with younger fresher talented players and that he would wear out his welcome with any team that traded for him. And so, after much wheeling and dealing, the team accepted a trade with the Phoenix Suns, a package offered by none other than general manager Jerry Colangelo, to send Barkley to the Phoenix Suns and in exchange the Sixers would get: Tim Perry, 27, a 6-foot-9 forward who played at Temple University; Jeff Hornacek, 29, a versatile 6-4 guard who led the Suns in scoring the previous season and was in the All-Star Game; Andrew Lang, 25, a 6-11 center of modest offensive ability whose specialties are shot-blocking and rebounding. Sixers fans applauded the trade, thrilled to be getting so much for one disgruntled player. Even newcomer head coach Doug Moe applauded the move:

"“Sure, I’d love to have Charles if everything was right with the team. A couple of years ago, the situation was different. He was different.We’re excited about the trade because we get a little younger, add some depth. Though you hate to lose a guy with the potential to carry a team to a championship, unfortunately that would have been difficult with what’s passed under the bridge.” – Sixers head coach Doug Moe"

But history has a different interpretation – The Suns Best Trade Ever: Charles Barkley Becomes A Sun.

Barkley would go on to play just four seasons with the Phoenix Suns, but they changed the NBA landscape with their fast paced precursor to the small ball which defines the style of some of the NBA’s best teams today. He would continue on to play for the Houston Rockets for another four years. All told, he played 16 seasons in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers got one year out of point guard Andrew Lang, one and two thirds seasons out of Jeff Hornacek, and three seasons out of Tim Perry. Everyone agrees the haste of the Sixers to trade an incredibly talented player led to one of the most lopsided trades in the history of the NBA, one the Sixers lost.

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