NBA forward Charles Barkley, nicknamed The Round Mound of Rebound, was beloved by Philadelphia 76ers basketball fans. Although he was shorter than most power forwards that he faced, Barkley held his own, beating them to rebounds and getting out on the fast break, whether he was leading it or filling the wing for a ferocious slam. After Julius Irving, “Doctor J.,” left the 76ers, Barkley was considered the next star of the team. But while he was the focal point, he was frustrated.
His frustrations with the team for its management and a multitude of other reasons would eventually boil over iin 1992. And it was at that point the 76ers had enough. On June 17, 1992, Philadelphia traded Barkley to the Phoenix Suns for guard Jeff Hornacek, power forward/center Tim Perry, and center Andrew Lang. Barkley would lead the Suns to the NBA Finals in his first season in Phoenix.
