In the summer of 1996, after coming home with another Olympic gold medal, Charles Barkley was traded to the Houston Rockets for Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Chucky Brown, and Mark Bryant. The move placed three future hall of famers in the Rockets starting lineup and gave them a significant shot at the title.

Had it not been for a Karl Malone bear-hug-pick on Mario Elie and a John Stockton buzzer beater, the Rockets may have reached their goal and given fans one of the most epic NBA finals of all time with the Rockets going head to head with the Chicago Bulls.

Nine years later, the Rockets find themselves looking for another power forward to push them towards their goal of a third championship. While the Rockets are certainly a different team, now anchored by the youthful Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, many believe they are an athletic forward away from being a title contender. With a signing of Stromile Swift, while by no means is at the level of the ?round mound of rebound?, the Houston Rockets will put themselves in position to once again challenge for an NBA championship.