There are numerous reasons to dismiss Charles Barkley’s criticism of Kevin Durant signing with the Warriors.
The biggest, which Kurt covered here: Barkley forced a trade from the Suns to the Rockets in 1996.
Houston was one year removed from winning back-to-back championships, eliminating Barkley and Phoenix en route to both titles. With Barkley joining Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, the Rockets were deemed a super team before the season.
But Barkley is now trying to spin the deal to fit a narrative detached from reality.
Barkley on the Doug Gottlieb Show:First of all, let’s get a couple misnomers. I got traded to Houston. I didn’t get asked to go to Houston. First of all, I never asked to go to Houston.
So, that notion -- I’ve heard that several times, that I was chasing a ring. I never chased a ring.
I got out of Philly, because they were a bad organization. They traded the No. 1 pick in the draft, Brad Daugherty. So, I got traded to Phoenix. That was the only time I demanded a trade and wasn’t going to play anymore.
But the Suns traded me to Houston. I wasn’t chasing a ring. I’ve never felt like a ring was -- this ain’t like the mafia or Jerry Maguire where this thing completes. I was a heck of a player. I didn’t win it. I’m cool with that. I never played on the best team.
But this notion that I chased a ring in Houston -- they traded me to Houston. I never said let me go play with old Clyde, old Hakeem and old Charles Barkley. So, that’s actually 100 percent not true.Barkley at the time of the trade:
``I’m very excited,’' he told two Philly TV stations. ``Obviously, it’s something I wanted to do. Houston was my first priority.’'
``At this stage of my career, I’m not a great player. I’m a good player,’' he said. ``But with Hakeem and Clyde, I have a great shot at a championship.’'
``I called the shots,’' he said. ``When push comes to shove, I think you have to stand up to the system.’'Barkley did not address how much snow he walked through on his uphill journey -- both ways -- from Phoenix to Houston.
