NBA Trades Podcast Episode #51 Featuring Steve Patterson

NBA Trades Podcast

The 25-year anniversary of the 1994 Houston Rockets championship squad is descending upon us, and it made sense to have the original architect of that team on. Steve Patterson got his start in sports at an early age when his father Ray Patterson was president of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Steve went on to work with his dad in Houston during the 1980s. Steve worked in various departments, working in the legal field with contracts, working with the marketing department and more. He helped install a ticketing computer system for the Rockets and also helped bring the All-Star Game to Houston.

Steve took the position of general manager (youngest in the NBA) in 1989 with the Rockets. He was responsible for acquiring guards Vernon Maxwell and Kenny Smith. Patterson also drafted Robert Horry and Sam Cassell. Of the 11 players that played in the NBA Finals, seven were acquired by the Rockets with Patterson acquiring them as Houston’s lead decision maker.

In this episode, Steve and I discussed the trades and transactions he made to build the Rockets around Hakeem Olajuwon, a contractual feud with Olajuwon and how that played out, and what it was like to see the Rockets win a title the year after he had been let go by new owner Les Alexander.

Download Episode 51