Is This Common Knowledge?

[Minstrel]

My Blazers fandom doesn't go back as far as many here, so maybe this is well-known already and just never mentioned (because it's ultimately not that important) but I had never before heard that Portland almost traded for Charles Barkley when the 76ers were shipping him out.

From an interview a couple of years ago:

Was there any other team than Phoenix that was close to getting you?

I got traded to the Lakers one day [in 1992] and they retracted the deal.

No way.

Yeah. The Sixers backed out. It was going crazy for two weeks so I knew it would come down to Portland, [the] Lakers or Phoenix. So I get a call from my agent one morning and he said, “Philly has traded you to the Lakers.” So I went to lunch and started drinking. I’m f---ing so excited that I am going to the Lakers. Three hours later I get a f---ing phone call from my agent saying that the Sixers backed out of the deal. I said, “Oh, s--t, I’m feeling pretty good right now.” So I went out and played that night. ​

Link

Sadly, there are no further details about Portland and what was being offered, etc. Did you guys know about this and what the trade return would have been? Pretty interesting--this was in 1992, so it would have made a pretty big splash since Portland was a contender [though, of course, they would have had to give up some player(s)].

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yes it was widely known. Charles wanted to play for Portland. He felt he was the missing link. But I don't remember what we offered. What Phoenix offered seemed like a lot at the time, but in hindsight it wasn't...(i.e Horneck did not play well for them in that system, but did in Phoenix and Utah)

 

[julius]

I thought the story was that he flew to Portland to visit with Geoff Petrie, and came up with a trade of Duckworth, Kersey and picks for him.

Probably should've done it.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

So he played drunk that night?

Some google master should find the box score.

 

[Natebishop3]

I was under the impression that Clyde didn't want him and that was why it didn't happen. It's too bad because I think we would have beat Jordan.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Yes. Barklwy has joked several times we still owe him money for the plane ticket he bought to come gere to talk to us

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Yep. I've heard a couple different scenarios. Dealing with picks, cliff robinson, buck williams, kevin duckworth and Jerome Kersey.

Usually either 3 of those players or 2 of the players with picks.

 

[Minstrel]

Yep. I've heard a couple different scenarios. Dealing with picks, cliff robinson, buck williams, kevin duckworth and Jerome Kersey.

Usually either 3 of those players or 2 of the players with picks.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Portland had a ton of depth in good big men--consolidating into a superstar power forward would have been pretty incredible.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Portland had a ton of depth in good big men--consolidating into a superstar power forward would have been pretty incredible.

And yet, Clyde kinda came off as another LMA.

 

[Eastoff]

I heard we didn't trade for him because he spit in a fan.

 

[julius]

I heard we didn't trade for him because he spit in a fan.

Ironically enough, they didn't want to trade the guy who visited SLC and kind of had a bad reputation with the female teen fans.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

We also drafted Mychal Thompson over Larry Bird.

 

[Minstrel]

Apparently, the Blazers also drafted Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.

Should've had all three.

 

[KingSpeed]

Yes that was common knowledge. I also remember a Duckworth/Kersey for Olajuwon deal was on the table and I was against it.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

And yet, Clyde kinda came off as another LMA.

The Barkley stuff was common knowledge to me. The Clyde being against it part wasn't known to me. I have no fondness for him now, you used up the last bit.

 

[Five Second Violation]

I was under the impression that Clyde didn't want him and that was why it didn't happen. It's too bad because I think we would have beat Jordan.

Not sure about that, since Clyde wound up playing with Barkley in Houston and I don't recall any problems.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Not sure about that, since Clyde wound up playing with Barkley in Houston and I don't recall any problems.

Drexler was a part of the Rockets but not the leader. He was the leader in Portland. If he didn't like Barkley he wouldn't have said shit about it in Houston.

 

[ripcityboy]

Somebody should write a book on all the trades we could have made. "If you thought not picking Michael Jordan waz bad enough.... you should seen what they offered Houston for the Number 1 pick!" As if Blazer fans don't ruminate on the past enough.

 

[B-Roy]

Drexler was a part of the Rockets but not the leader. He was the leader in Portland. If he didn't like Barkley he wouldn't have said shit about it in Houston.

Funny how all our all-stars from Texas hated being leaders and all ran back to Texas to become just another player.

 

[Chris Craig]

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Portland had a ton of depth in good big men--consolidating into a superstar power forward would have been pretty incredible.

We also drafted Mychal Thompson over Larry Bird.

Apparently, the Blazers also drafted Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan.

Should've had all three.

That would have been an unstoppable team.

We sure know how to fuck up a draft. Jordan, Bird, Durant...wtf man

 

[Strenuus]

Think about the trade scenarios if this was around during the message board days?! Jesus. :MARIS61: It'd be a 10,000 post thread.

 

[Minstrel]

Think about the trade scenarios if this was around during the message board days?! Jesus. :MARIS61: It'd be a 10,000 post thread.

And we'd lose out on Charles Fucking Barkley because no one wants Meyers Fucking Leonard.

 

[Natebishop3]

Not sure about that, since Clyde wound up playing with Barkley in Houston and I don't recall any problems.

I thought I heard there was problems in Houston between them, which was a large reason for his retirement...

 

[handiman]

I recall Barkley saying he wanted to play with Drexler. I never heard anything about Drexler having an issue with Barkley back then.

 

[Sinobas]

I remember this being reported in the newspaper. I can't remember exactly who it was for. I think it was Porter, Kersey and Duckworth, and the Blazers turned it down.

In hindsight, this would have been a great move for the franchise, since Barkley remained a franchise player for 5 more years while Portland really plummeted into mediocrity during that period.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

I remember the story about Barkley coming to Portland to talk to the blazers about trading for him. I remember Barkley even named what players the blazers could send to Philly for him, which iirc were; Duckworth, Kersey, and maybe Buck Williams.

 

[Minstrel]

I can just imagine Barkley in that meeting: "Yeah, he can go, he can go...oh, he GOTTA go."

 

[Boob-No-More]

I remember this being reported in the newspaper. I can't remember exactly who it was for. I think it was Porter, Kersey and Duckworth, and the Blazers turned it down.

In hindsight, this would have been a great move for the franchise, since Barkley remained a franchise player for 5 more years while Portland really plummeted into mediocrity during that period.

I remember Duckworth and Kersey, but not Porter as principles in the deal, and even Alaa Abdelnaby being mentioned as a possible part of the package.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

I can just imagine Barkley in that meeting: "Yeah, he can go, he can go...oh, he GOTTA go."

He's turrible, just turrible...

BNM