This IS a tough one. I think Barkley was such a force and he would have helped out sooo much, however, IF it were to be for the rumored Kersey, Porter, and Cliff, plus IF Barkley was not a team player (or caused issues) then it may not be the ideal situation. Maybe I'm just biased because Cliff was my favorite player growing up. Move aside Clyde....
I was paying attention at the time and never heard Porter part of the deal. It was Kersey and Robinson and Philly media seemed to think it was pretty much a done deal in fact, I seem to recall that trade being referenced years later when there was supposedly a a 'done deal' between PDX and Phily in 2017; it was Plumlee for Jahlil Okafor. Philly went as far as holding Okafor out of a couple of games expecting the trade to happen. But at the last minute, Denver counter-offered by adding a first round pick and Olshey backed out of the Philly deal and made the Plumlee for Nurkic trade. A long time Philly sportswriter mentioned it wasn't the first time the Blazers backed out of a trade and pointed at the Kersey/Robinson for Barkley deal....all that IIRC of course all other things being equal, a Barkley for Kersey/Robinson deal would have very likely made the Blazers even more formidable than they were. It would have hurt depth a little (although it was easier within the CBA to add players), but Blazer starting talent would have been awesome, especially if it was 25 year old Sabonis instead of Duckworth I suppose it's legitimate to wonder how a Barkley/Buck forward pairing would have worked out, but I think it would have been pretty dominating. Certainly no team would out-rebound Portland and that was back when rebounding was a lot more important. Kersey was probably a little better defender, especially against SF's, but I don't think that would have offset all the offense and physicality Barkley would have added
That is wild! Reading some comments in that Reddit post though….did he really kidnap and beat a woman in 98? Then the thing about his son(s)…yeah still don’t condone the fan saying all that, but I def think a little less of Mad Max now. Not that I ever really knew him.
I remember watching that game on TV. When Maxwell went into the stands my first thought was that fan obviously went way over the line. This is why a player can get a fan ejected now. A "fan" like that should be banned from all live sports.
The thing I found odd about the fan incident with Maxwell, was that no one else heard the fan say anything about his unborn child. Fans in general are idiots. No debating that many go over the line and I hate when they do. But that remark was so bizarre that I had a really hard time believing it happened. Does anyone remember it being verified? Someone else had to have heard it for it to be true.
I wasn’t sure where to put this, but thought it was odd and rather F’d up if you ask me. I know it is just the cover picture, but how the hell would Oden be a “What If” story for Miami…?!?! The guy who punched his girlfriend in the face while on that team? That guy? Not the one who was drafted by Blazers with 1st pick? No…alcoholic, lame duck Oden for Miami…yeah…
