Charles Barkley is widely regarded as one of the greatest players never to capture an NBA championship. However, according to the Hall of Famer, the Philadelphia 76ers’ 1986 roster mismanagement cost him a prime opportunity to win “at least one” title.
In the 1985-86 season, Barkley’s sophomore year, the 76ers finished third in the Eastern Conference (54-28) before pushing the second-seeded Milwaukee Bucks (57-25) to seven games in the playoffs’ second round.
Despite the franchise’s mix of young star power and veteran talent (Moses Malone, Julius Erving, and Maurice Cheeks), it found itself in an enviable draft position. Thanks to a savvy 1979 trade with the then-San Diego Clippers, Philadelphia received the No. 1 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.
As such, the 76ers appeared poised to select North Carolina center Brad Daugherty and build on their postseason success. Instead, they made two questionable trades on June 16, 1986, the day ahead of the draft, leaving Barkley haunted by what could’ve been.
How Did 76ers’ Controversial 1986 Offseason Hinder Charles Barkley’s NBA Career?
On Tuesday’s edition of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” Barkley lamented Philadelphia’s polarizing 1986 offseason that altered his career trajectory.
The 11-time All-Star first recounted his optimism ahead of the 1986 draft as he anticipated forming a long-term partnership with Daugherty.
“Me and the guys went out to celebrate that night. This is the night before the draft, and we got drunk as hell. … I’m [approaching] my third year in the league. I think that was the first time I became an All-Star. I’m excited for the future,” Barkley remembered thinking.
“… The only thing we were missing was a big guy. I got Brad Daugherty coming in for the next 10, 15 years. I like my chances against anybody.”
However, amid his pre-draft celebrations, Barkley received a disheartening phone call from Philadelphia reporter Phil Jasner in the wee hours of the morning.
“He’s like, ‘Well, you better hold off on that, the Sixers made a trade,'” Barkley recalled. “I said, ‘Phil, there’s no way the Sixers are that stupid to trade the No. 1 pick in the draft.'”
According to the 1993 MVP, he took a shower to make sure he had his “head together.” After collecting his thoughts, he called Jasner back to discover the details of the trade, growing more frustrated upon learning that Daugherty was likely heading to a conference rival.
“I said, ‘Phil, explain to me what’s going on.’ He says, ‘Well, you guys have just traded the No. 1 pick in the draft to Cleveland,'” Barkley recounted. “I said, ‘You trade the No. 1 pick in the draft … that’s stupid. Then you trade him to the competition?'”
In return for the top pick, the 76ers received forward Roy Hinson and cash considerations. Barkley described Hinson as a “decent player” who “clearly wasn’t gonna be Brad Daugherty,” whom he “thought was gonna be an All-Star for the next 10 years.”
Making matters “worse,” Jasner shared that Philadelphia was shipping Malone, fresh off his ninth All-Star campaign, to the then-Washington Bullets for forward Cliff Robinson and injury-prone big man Jeff Ruland.
The deals ultimately marked two catastrophic moves in one day, as none of the 76ers’ acquisitions made sizable impacts.
“I have been bitter and angry because that cost me at least one championship, probably two, because I was just becoming a star and we had the No. 1 pick in the draft,” Barkley bemoaned.
Following the trades, Philadelphia never made it past the playoffs’ second round over the next six seasons, prompting Barkley’s trade request in the 1991-92 campaign.
Meanwhile, Malone went on to make three more All-Star teams, while Daugherty earned five All-Star nods across eight seasons with the Cavaliers before retiring early due to back issues.
Fortunately for Barkley, he made a deeper postseason run in his first year with the Phoenix Suns (1992-93), making his lone NBA Finals appearance. Still, “The Round Mound of Rebound” couldn’t get over the hump, falling just short of that elusive championship.
