The Phoenix Suns have been in the NBA since 1968 and became perennial contenders in NBA odds'because of incredible players that suited up for the team, which have made them competitive and fun to watch. Phoenix obtained these basketball stars by selecting them via the NBA Draft or blockbuster trades.
Between selecting and trading players, they mostly found their success in the latter because they instantly improved their roster with' established stars compared to honing and developing players for several seasons. But among the multiple trades that Phoenix made throughout their tenure in the league, which of them were team-altering and best improved their title hopes significantly?
Charles Barkley
The most famous and arguably the biggest trade in Phoenix Suns history happened in 1992, when they acquired Charles Barkley from the Philadelphia 76ers for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang. It started with Barkley’s frustration of losing with the Sixers, and the Suns gladly pulled the trigger to acquire him immediately and compete for a championship.
It worked well for both Phoenix and Barkley because they earned the top seed in the Western Conference and went all the way to the NBA Finals in his first season with the team in 1993. Unfortunately, they ran against the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls and lost the series, 4-2. Barkley made the most of his stay with the team by helping them reach the playoffs three more times.