Rockets Legend Clears the Air on Departure from Franchise

Time really does heal all wounds.

Nov 19, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Former Houston Rockets Vernon Maxwell waves to the fans before the start of the fourth quarter of the game between the Rockets vs Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Rockets won 111-102. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports / Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The 1993-94 season saw the Houston Rockets finally reach the pinnacle after 27 years of being in existence. Naturally, the team was on a high.

Call it a championship hangover, which tends to carry over into the next season. Training routines aren't quite the same, as the party must continue.

It can also be difficult to get motivated all over again after reaching the mountaintop. 

And after a 30-17 record through roughly half of the1994-95 season, the franchise deemed it necessary to make a shake up at the deadline, sending Otis Thorpe and a 1995 first-round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Clyde Drexler, the collegiate teammate of Hakeem Olajuwon.

However, the move didn't quite sit well with Vernon Maxwell, who was, in many ways, the heart and soul of the team. Maxwell took to The Sheed and Tyler Show to explain the impact of the Drexler trade.

"I was f-ked up behind it. M'f'er was coming in to take my minutes and they didn't even talk to me about it. I felt like that was f-ked up after all that I had done for the Rockets.

Having been there for nine years. They didn't talk to me about bringing Clyde in through my suspension. Nobody called me. Not one teammate, not anyone in the front office."

Maxwell explained the feeling of loneliness while he was suspended and forced to remain away from the team. 

"You can't go to the arena, you can't go to the practice arena. They didn't even send me a trainer to train with."

After the return of his suspension, Maxwell noticed a change in his role.

"We get to the playoffs and I felt like they were playing me f-ked up. Because they just took me out the lineup. Clyde could've played the three too.

They took me out the lineup and took all my minutes away."

Maxwell expressed remorse over his handling of the situation, which saw him leave the team during the playoffs altogether.

"I did alot of f-cked up sh-t. I walked away from the team and I shouldn't have did that. It was just a f-cked up situation when they brought Clyde there.

But Clyde is a great guy and it wasn't Clyde's fault. 

Just give me enough decency to talk to me and tell me what's going on. Because I've been always straight up with y'all.

I'll accept my role. Because Clyde was an All-Star."

The Rockets won the 1994-95 championship and ultimately released Maxwell at the end of the season.

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