On February 14th, 1995, the Rockets acquired Clyde Drexler and Tracy Murray from the Portland Trailblazers for Otis Thorpe, the rights to Marcelo Nicola, and a 1995 1st round draft pick (#19, which ended up being Randolph Childress). It's hard to believe that was 15 years ago today. Back then, I was watching ESPN SportsCenter morning and night to get the latest updates. The rumor was the Bulls were trying to move Scottie Pippen and the Rockets were among the teams interested. If the Rockets were going to make a move, Robert Horry was the one who was gone. Clyde Drexler? Didn't even seem to be on Houston's radar. He was recently injured, the Blazers were in decline and he seemed to be in "Thanks for the memories" mode -- the perception was he didn't have much in the tank. A few days earlier it was reported Drexler was being traded to Seattle for Kendall Gill, but for some reason that didn't materialize. Strangely this is one of those moments where I remember exactly where I was when I found out. Clutchfans was still a year and a half away from starting. I was in college at the gym going to play basketball and I run into a buddy who asked me if I heard about the trade. When he said "Otis for Clyde", it was so unexpected on both ends that you would have thought Daryl Morey made the move. Seriously, if you reflect on that deal, what team trades the starting power forward of a returning championship team, with no viable backup in a PF-loaded conference with Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Shawn Kemp and Dennis Rodman, for a second two-guard ... and wins the title again? It's unheard of. Clyde had way more in the tank than I ever expected, and no fan of any NBA team -- ours included -- is likely to ever experience a greater ride than what the Rockets gave their fans in the 1995 NBA playoffs. <table cellpadding=1 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr><td align=left></td><td align=right></td></tr><tr><td colspan=2></td></tr></table>
Man I remember that trade.... I was happy and mad at the same time... OT was as loyal as they get... The guy was the epitome of what a true team player should be.. I was skeptical of a 3 guard lineup and how could Chucky Brown hold any of the superstar power forwards in the West.
I remember it well! There was a feeling for me that Clyde was home. I had no idea how the team would respond, they seemed to be playing uninspired ball. It took some time to click but inserting Horry at the power forward spot was genius on Rudy T's part. The playoffs started off slow but the team just got better and better. By the time the finals were here I don't think any team could have touched us. So here's to hoping Morey can pull something out of his hat and surprise us all like we were that day. Thanks for the post clutch!! I'm excited and actually getting a little choked up thinking about it
Wait a minute..... Clutch is this some kind of embedded trade scenario that has not been thought about?????
This is my favorite part. Sometimes trading is all about patience. In that scenario today, Clutchfans would be a mess with complaining threads and chicken little doom. Awesome post.
i remember going crazy more because of Tracy Murray who was from my hometown and went to the same high school (and eventualy college) I was excited that someone from Glendora was going to be on the Rockets. oh and that Clyde guy was pretty decent too.
Easier said than done when you have a championship caliber roster with one of the best centers of all-time on it already. The current Rockets have none of that, so there's no reason to go out and get anyone that is currently on the market.
problem was, he kept on swinging, and swinging, and swinging. and never again had the results that he did with this trade.
Wow... it has been 15 years. I was partying on Richmond Rd after the first championship. It was one of the best experiences in my life. Bumper to bumper traffic, drinking, smoking, and ladies showing their tig ol bitties for Clutch City. There was so much pride for the Rox and the city of Houston. Just didn't want it to end. When the Rox brought Clyde onboard, I knew that move would seal the Rockets fate to a second championship. I wasn't let down. I feel lucky to have experienced something so great for the city of Houston. For the Rockets next championship, I'm sure we''l be partying in downtown instead.
I remember the trade, and remember being at the game on valentines day, when they introduced clyde drexler and tracy murray? for the first time Good times...
I loved OT but Clyde was amazing. Just to see him and Hakeem together was magical and almost unreal. CD's greatest move.
After watching PSJ , I was sure he would be a Rocket on draft day. Hearing Rodney's name triggered a fit ....LOL It's amazing how representative this is of the cyclical nature of life though. How about that first game as a Rocket ....I'm thinking it was against Charlotte..We weren't sure how much Clyde had left and how healthy he was.Glide was tentative at first and started to break out as the game went on. TRUE STORY (very lucky)......I was in Vegas for the San Francisco vs. San Diego Superbowl .....anyway the rumor of Pippen coming here had just broken. I'd had SF and the over so I had a few extra bucks. Now I never do/did this, but couldn't resist when I saw the Rockets at 14 - 1. Needless to say I was content as a native Houstonian but also had a few more reasons to celebrate as I watched us finish the sweep vs. Orlando. A couple of weeks later I took a friend of mine to Vegas and the first thing we did was send a self addressed , stamped envelope home for 1/2. ...had a wild time too. Hey, I was just in the right place at the right time ......... or was it even a coincidence?
I remember that day vividly. I was so jacked up after that trade for the rockets, was a huge huge Phi-slama-jama fan and reuniting Dream and Clyde was incredible.
15 years ago from today on February 14th, 1995, is when I became a die-hard Houston Rockets fan. I was 12 years old and the biggest Blazers/Clyde Drexler fan. I guess I was a bigger Drexler fan :grin:
