The rise and fall of Hakeem Olajuwon and his Rockets dynasty, including the 16 teammates who helped him win two championships. The timeline runs from Moses Malone’s 1982 departure to Rudy Tomjanovich’s 2003 retirement.
1982
September
Moses Malone is traded to the 76ers in exchange for Caldwell Jones and a first round pick, setting off two consecutive seasons of the Rockets finishing in last place in the Western Conference and subsequently landing the #1 overall pick
1984
June
Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston) is drafted with the #1 overall pick
1986
May
Led by the “Twin Towers” Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, the Rockets stun the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals to move on to the NBA Finals, where they’re defeated by the Celtics
1987
May
Despite Ralph Sampson being hobbled by a torn knee, the Rockets upset the Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs, before losing to the SuperSonics in the Conference Semifinals. Sampson would later be traded away during the ’87-’88 season and it would take the Rockets six years to win another playoff series
1988
October
Otis Thorpe is acquired via trade from the Kings, in exchange for Rodney McCray and Jim Petersen
1990
February
Vernon Maxwell is acquired via trade from the Spurs, in exchange for cash considerations
June
Carl Herrera’s draft rights are acquired via trade from the Heat in exchange for Alec Kessler
August
Matt Bullard is signed as an un-drafted free agent
September
Kenny Smith is acquired via trade from the Hawks, in exchange for John Lucas, Tim McCormick, and a first round pick
1991
April
The Rockets finish the ’90-’91 season with a franchise record 52 wins, but are swept out of the playoffs in the first round by the Lakers
June
Zan Tabak is drafted in the second round, with the #51 overall pick
1992
February
Don Chaney is fired as head coach after the Rockets blow a huge lead in a loss to the Timberwolves. Top assistant Rudy Tomjanovich takes over on an interim basis
April
When the season ends with the Rockets missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years, a disgruntled Hakeem Olajuwon asks for a trade. Several offers are fielded but Olajuwon ultimately stays with Houston
Rudy Tomjanovich has the interim tag removed and is named as full-time head coach
June
Robert Horry (Alabama) is drafted with the #11 overall pick
September
Scott Brooks is acquired via trade from the Timberwolves, in exchange for a second round pick
1993
May
For the first time in six years, the Rockets win a playoff series, defeating the Clippers in five games in the first round. The Rockets are subsequently upset by the SuperSonics in the Conference Semifinals.
June
Sam Cassell (Florida State) is drafted with the #24 overall pick
July
Leslie Alexander purchases the franchise from J. Evans Attwell
August
Mario Elie is acquired via trade from the Trail Blazers, in exchange for a second round pick
December
The Rockets defeat the Knicks for their 15th consecutive victory to start the season, a new NBA record
1994
April
Chris Jent and Earl Cureton are signed as free agents and go on to make the playoff roster
With a victory over the Trail Blazers, the Rockets set a franchise record with their 57th win. They go on to lose three of their last four regular season games to finish the season 58-24
May
Hakeem Olajuwon is named NBA league MVP for the first time, and Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He eventually becomes the only player in NBA history to earn both of those awards and Finals MVP all in the same season.
The Rockets defeat the Trail Blazers in the Conference Quarterfinals, the Suns in the Conference Semifinals, and the Jazz in the Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals
June
The Rockets defeat the Knicks in seven games in the NBA Finals, winning not just the first championship in franchise history, but the first major team sports title in Houston history. Hakeem Olajuwon is named Finals MVP
July
Earl Cureton suffers an ACL tear during an offseason workout, leaving him unavailable for the entire ’94-’95 season. The Rockets ultimately released him in 1996 and he did return to the NBA for a brief stint with the Raptors in ’96-’97 before retiring
September
With no contract offer from the Rockets, Matt Bullard spends the ’94-’95 season with the Greek club PAOK
November
Pete Chilcutt is signed as a free agent after being released by the Pistons
December
Chris Jent is waived and subsequently plays a season in Australia before eventually returning to the NBA with the Knicks
1995
February
Vernon Maxwell is suspended for 10 games after entering the stands in Portland and punching a fan who was heckling him with racist remarks. The Rockets subsequently attempt to trade Maxwell at the deadline but are unsuccessful
Chucky Brown is signed as a free agent, first to a 10-day contract and later for the remainder of the season
Clyde Drexler is acquired via trade from the Trail Blazers, in exchange for Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, and a first round draft pick
Scott Brooks is traded to the Mavericks in exchange for Morlon Wiley and a second round pick. Wiley is subsequently waived
March
Charles Jones is signed as a free agent, first to a 10-day contract and later for the remainder of the season
April
The Rockets lose three straight games to close out a difficult regular season with a 47-35 record and the #6 seed in the Western Conference
After playing just 16 minutes off the bench in a first round game one loss to the Jazz, Vernon Maxwell takes an indefinite leave of absence. He ultimately never suits up for the Rockets again
May
The Rockets upset the #3 seed Jazz in the Conference Quarterfinals, the #2 seed Suns in the Conference Semifinals (highlighted by the “Kiss of Death” series clincher in game seven from Mario Elie, capping off a 3-1 series comeback), and the #1 seed Spurs in the Conference Finals
June
The Rockets defeat the Magic in an NBA Finals sweep to clinch back-to-back titles. Hakeem Olajuwon is named Finals MVP for a second time
Vernon Maxwell is waived and subsequently signs with the 76ers
Zan Tabak is selected by the Toronto Raptors in their expansion draft
September
Carl Herrera departs as a free agent, signing with the Spurs
1996
May
The Rockets’ title defense ends with a Conference Semifinals sweep at the hands of the SuperSonics
June
Pete Chilcutt is traded to the Grizzlies, along with a first round pick and second round pick, in exchange for three second round picks
July
Kenny Smith is released and subsequently signs with the Pistons
August
In one of the most notable trades in NBA history, Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, and Chucky Brown are sent to the Suns in exchange for Charles Barkley
1997
May
The Rockets cap a 57-win ’96-’97 season with a return to the Western Conference Finals, but are eliminated in six games by the Jazz. It subsequently takes 12 years for the Rockets to win another playoff series and 18 years to make a Conference Finals return
November
Hakeem Olajuwon undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery, forcing him to miss almost the entire first half of the ’97-’98 season
1998
March
Clyde Drexler announces that he will be retiring at the conclusion of the ’97-’98 season
April
The Rockets limp into the playoffs as the #8 seed in the Western Conference and are subsequently eliminated by the Jazz in the first round
May
Charles Jones retires at age 41
1999
January
Mario Elie departs as a free agent, signing with the Spurs
May
With free agent signee Scottie Pippen in the starting lineup alongside Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, the Rockets finish the ’98-’99 season 37-13 and with the #5 seed in the Western Conference. But they lose in the first round of the playoffs to the Lakers
December
Hakeem Olajuwon suffers another major injury and undergoes hernia surgery, which sidelines him for nearly half the ’99-’00 season. Charles Barkley soon after suffers a career-ending quadriceps tear
2000
April
For the first and only time in Hakeem Olajuwon’s career, the Rockets finish with a losing record, at 34-48
2001
April
For the second straight season, the Rockets miss the playoffs. Hakeem Olajuwon is sidelined for large chunks of the ’00-’01 season due to a foot injury and complications from asthma
August
Hakeem Olajuwon is traded to the Raptors in exchange for a first round pick and a second round pick. He closes out his career with one quiet season in Toronto before retiring
2003
April
After announcing that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer (from which he eventually made a full recovery), Rudy Tomjanovich steps down as Rockets coach, ending a 33-year association with the franchise
Basketball, Listed 