No matter which superstar moves to a new franchise, adapting to a new system and playing style is never easy. So, when Charles Barkley was traded to the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 1992 after spending eight seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, there was plenty of doubt about whether he could transform the Suns into the powerhouse they had been craving to become.
Michael Jordan, however, held no reservations. For the five-time MVP, he was so confident that he boldly proclaimed that if any player could be put alongside such lofty expectations, it was Sir Charles.
MJ knew Chuck was all that the Suns needed
Before Barkley’s arrival, Phoenix had been close but never quiet over the hump. They had made it to the Conference Finals twice in the previous four years but couldn’t progress into the NBA Finals. Sure, they had quality players like Tom Chambers and Kevin Johnson on their roster. However, they lacked a genuine superstar who could carry them on his back when the going got tough.
The second Barkley joined the team, the narrative changed. The team’s offensive prowess became almost impossible to match. As a result, they didn’t just boast the league-best 62-20 record in the 1992-93 regular season but were the best offensive team in the league.
However, when the playoffs came, the Suns were in deep trouble since the first round. With their back against the wall, facing a 0-2 deficit in a five-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Barkley averaged 29.5 points over Games 4 and 5 to make sure the Suns progress further.
Even in the WCFs, Barkley dropped a stellar 44 points and 24 rebounds double-double to ensure Phoenix surpassed the challenge posed by the Seattle SuperSonics.
While the rest of the team was dazzled by how quickly Barkley had turned Phoenix into a serious threat, MJ wasn’t surprised. He knew beforehand that if any player could bring the desired results in Phoenix, it was Barkley.
“Charles has got a new life. I think he’s taken an energetic attitude in Phoenix and kind of giving them the life that they need to get them over the hump,” Jordan said. “He very well could be right in terms of getting them out of West and competing for a championship.”
The city of Phoenix embraced Barkley
Although Barkley never managed to get the Suns over the championship line and could not quite replicate his 1993 MVP season numbers during the rest of his time there, his impact remained undeniable.
“You love the fan and everything, but when you guys get that far… like you don’t get to the finals every time. You lose more than you win,” said Barkley
He made Phoenix a force in the West, a team constantly in contention for the top seed, and perhaps that is why he still holds such a special place in the city and the franchise’s history.
But the most important detail was that Jordan had already envisioned the change that Barkley would bring to the Suns.