“That would have been a great time” – Barkley on why he didn’t push for a trade to the Knicks to play with Ewing in 1996 originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In the early 1990s, legendary power forward Charles Barkley was on the brink of ending his partnership with the Philadelphia 76ers. With Moses Malone and Julius Erving gone, Barkley was on his own to guide the team to deeper playoff runs. The front office didn’t seem interested in surrounding Chuck with solid role players or even a bona fide star.
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After another heartbreaking playoff defeat in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, Barkley hinted at taking his talents to the New York Knicks to play with star center Patrick Ewing. Knicks fans were hyped about the possible team-up and how it would wreak havoc across the NBA. However, rumors ended quickly, as Chuck did not stay in Philly for one more season; he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1992.
Fresh rumors
Guiding the Suns to the 1993 NBA Finals was the only bright moment in Barkley’s stint in Phoenix. Just as in Philadelphia, Charles struggled to lead Phoenix to a championship.
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This led to rumors that Barkley was working on his initial plan to play with Ewing. In the middle of the 1995-96 NBA season, with the Suns nowhere near contender status, reporters asked Chuck about resurrecting his intentions to don the Knicks jersey.
“You know when I really would’ve liked to play in New York?” Barkley said in 1996, via the Los Angeles Times. “Three or four years ago. That would have been a great time for me and Patrick (Ewing) to play alongside each other. But now? I just don’t know. It would be great to be in New York, don’t get me wrong. I’ve always said it’s a great stage. But I’m not sure if I’d be able to play up to everybody’s expectations.”
Different perspectives
Barkley claimed he did not want to be traded and wanted to finish his career with the Suns — Chuck was in his early 30s then. He had suffered some minor injuries here and there, was slower than his previous self, but was still a beast on the boards.
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Charles’ body wasn’t the only thing that evolved, as he subscribed to a different mindset in 1996. Chuck wanted stability at that point in his career. Moving to the East didn’t inspire him. Also, Barkley wasn’t confident about how a partnership with a star center would pan out.
“I’d take it as a compliment,” Barkley said. “Tell everybody in New York I’d be real flattered. And if it was the Knicks, I’d come, because I had to. But at this point in my life and this point in my career, I don’t know how excited I’d be about packing up and moving across the country, as interesting as it would be–even now–to play alongside Patrick, because I haven’t had a real big man since Moses. Besides, I’m not going to commit to playing with anybody past this season.”
Sir Charles probably wasn’t in an optimal headspace at that time. After all, later that year in the summer, the Round Mound of Rebound teamed up with star center Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen in Houston. This contradicted Barkley’s earlier claim on how inopportune it was to team up with a star center late in his career.
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However, seeing how poorly that Houston experiment went, maybe Chuck was right about his sentiments and correct about not joining forces with Pat at that point.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 3, 2025, where it first appeared.