The Houston Rockets have been in the NBA for well over 50 years now, and they've had some great success in that time. With back-to-back titles in the 90s and several other deep playoff runs, Houston fans have had plenty to cheer about over the years.

Of course, the Rockets wouldn't have their success without some savvy moves over the years. From trading for franchise cornerstones to adding key veterans at the right time, the Rockets have made some smart moves. With that said, here are five of Houston's best moves in franchise history.

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5. Charles Barkley, 1996

Rockets acquire: Charles Barkley, 1999 second-round pick (Tyron Washington)

Suns acquire: Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell, Robert Horry

In 1996, the Rockets were just a year removed from winning their second straight title. After a relatively forgettable 1995-96 season, in which they finished 48-34 and were swept in the second round, they sought to get back to their championship-winning ways. In their eyes, the best way to do that was to make a risky play by sending off key pieces of their championship teams for a then 33-year-old Barkley.

Despite the risk, this move ended up working out very well for the Rockets. Barkley fit in great with Houston, earning an all-star appearance while averaging 19.2 points and 13.5 rebounds and leading the Rockets to a Western Conference Finals appearance in his first season. Even though his production dipped in the final three years of his career, he was still a very solid starter for Houston.

Meanwhile, the Suns got back essentially nothing for their perennial all-star. Horry, Cassell, and Brown didn't even last a full season in Phoenix, while Bryant played two seasons in the desert but was just a rotational player. Yes, Washington never played an NBA game and Barkley never won a championship in Houston. However, this trade was still easily a fleecing by the Rockets.

4. Tracy McGrady, 2004

Rockets acquire: Tracy McGrady, Reece Gaines, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue

Magic acquire: Kelvin Cato, Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley

In 2003-04, McGrady won the NBA scoring title with 28 points per game despite his Magic team finishing last in the Eastern Conference. Naturally, this caused frustrations between Orlando and the then-25-year-old star. Seeing an opportunity, the Rockets swooped in and nabbed McGrady for themselves.

McGrady spent over five years in Houston and played exceptionally well for the most part, averaging 22.7 points per game. Lue and Gaines lasted less than half a season with the Rockets, but Howard was a solid option for his three seasons with the team. Regardless, getting a future Hall of Fame player at the height of his career is always a win, even if the Rockets didn't have much team success in this time.

Meanwhile, none of the three players the Magic acquired lasted even two full seasons, even with Francis and Mobley putting up good numbers. For trading away a player of McGrady's caliber, Orlando didn't get anywhere near fair value back. For Houston, on the other hand, this deal still stands as one of the best in franchise history.

3. Moses Malone, 1976

Rockets acquire: Moses Malone

Braves acquire: 1977 first-round pick (Wesley Cox), 1978 first-round pick (Micheal Ray Richardson)

Malone had played the first two seasons of his career in the ABA, but after the league merged with the NBA in 1976, he had a tough start entering the new league. The Portland Trail Blazers selected him in the ABA dispersal draft but traded him to the Buffalo Braves due to an apparent lack of a need for him in the lineup. Then just two games into the 1976-77 season, the Braves traded Malone to the Rockets for the exact same reason.

Those teams' losses turned out to be the Rockets' greatest gain. Malone became one of the first superstars in franchise history, averaging 24 points and 15 rebounds across six seasons in Houston. He was an all-star in five of six seasons in Houston and won the league's MVP Award in 1979 and 1982.

Meanwhile, this move remains one of the greatest regrets in Braves franchise history (the team is now the L.A. Clippers). The selection of Cox amounted to nothing for Buffalo, as he only played two NBA seasons for the Golden State Warriors. Richardson had a solid NBA career with four all-star selections in eight seasons but played his entire career with the New York Knicks, Warriors, and New Jersey Nets. For acquiring one of the greatest players in NBA history and giving up virtually nothing in the process, this trade is undoubtedly one of the best ever for Houston.

2. Clyde Drexler, 1995

Rockets acquire: Clyde Drexler, Tracy Murray

Blazers acquire: Otis Thorpe, Marcelo Nicola, 1995 first-round pick (Randolph Childress)

The Rockets had bulldozed their way to their first NBA title in 1993-94, but the next season was a bit more challenging. They were sitting at 29-17 at the all-star break, certainly good, but not quite great. So coming out of the break, the Rockets made a huge splash by acquiring a longtime star in Drexler.

With this move, Houston got everything it wanted and then some. Drexler averaged 21.4 points per game in the regular season, then 20.5 in the playoffs to help the Rockets win their second straight title despite entering as the sixth seed. He then continued to be a very productive player for the final three years of his career, finishing his Rockets tenure with an average of 19 points per game.

In return for Drexler, the Blazers got essentially nothing. Nicola never played in the NBA, Childress only played two seasons while averaging just 2.4 points, and Thorpe was traded to the Detroit Pistons just a few months after arriving in Portland. To trade one of the best players in franchise history for almost nothing was devastating for the Blazers. For the Rockets, though, this deal played a huge part in them going back-to-back. Honestly, there's a very good argument for this deal to be No. 1.

1. James Harden, 2012

Rockets acquire: James Harden, Cole Aldrich, Daequan Cook, Lazar Hayward

Thunder acquire: Jeremy Lamb, Kevin Martin, 2013 first-round pick (Steven Adams), 2013 second-round pick (Alex Abrines), 2014 first-round pick (Mitch McGary)

The Oklahoma City Thunder of the early 2010s may go down as one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history. They had an exciting young core of Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant, and after making the 2012 NBA Finals, the future appeared very bright. However, the financial implications were too much for the Thunder to handle, leading them to trade Harden just three years into his career. For the Rockets, this led to arguably the biggest opportunity in franchise history.

Harden immediately became the face of the franchise and maintained that status for nearly a decade. In just over eight seasons with the Rockets, the 33-year-old guard averaged an absurd 29.6 points per game, leading the league in scoring three straight years from 2018 to 2020. He was an all-star every year in Houston and even won the MVP award in 2018. Although the Rockets never made the NBA Finals under Harden, they were a consistent playoff threat and likely would've won a title if not for the Warriors dynasty.

Much like other deals on this list, the Thunder got nowhere near enough back for their star player. Lamb, Martin, Abrines, and McGary were all out of OKC by 2016, despite some of them putting up good numbers. Adams was at least a good piece for the Thunder in his seven seasons there, and he still is with the Memphis Grizzlies now. Still, that's nowhere near enough for a player of Harden's caliber, even if the other players Houston acquired never amounted to much of anything.

This deal may not have led to a title for Houston, which is why the Drexler trade still has an argument for the top spot. However, no singular deal had as big of an impact on the Rockets franchise as this one, which is why it earns the No. 1 spot on this list.