“I’m blessed to be able to do live television for a living.” When Charles Barkley signed a massive deal with TNT, he surely didn’t imagine he’d one day find himself second-guessing it. But time has a funny way of changing perspectives. As the years roll on, priorities shift. The allure of money starts to fade, and the idea of slowing down starts to feel a lot more appealing, especially when you’re hitting your 60s. However, this is not the first time Chuck opened up about walking away.
The idea had crossed his mind earlier, back when Inside the NBA was facing uncertainty and the league hadn’t yet made a final call on its media rights deals. At that time, it looked like TNT might be left out. But in a surprising turn, Inside the NBA managed to survive and will now shift to ESPN, while still being licensed by TNT, starting next season. Still, even with the show’s future secure, Barkley seemed to be caught in a tug-of-war over his own during his recent appearance on SI Media With Jimmy Traina.
“… Trying to figure out the length of my deal… I have seven years left on my deal. And I was like, ‘There’s no f—— way that I’m working for seven years…'” Barkley admitted, offering a glimpse into just how complicated the situation has become behind the scenes. He revealed he’s been in conversation with TNT for months now, and there’s a bit of back-and-forth happening.
“I say, ‘I think I can give you guys two years.’ They’re like, ‘Can you give us three?’ … I really want this thing to work for everybody. But I’m not going to keep working just for the hell of it,” Chuck explained, showing that he’s not trying to be difficult—just realistic.
The sticking point, as Barkley points out, isn’t the job itself or anything else for that matter. It’s the duration that has him pulling back. “There’s no way I would go seven years… The only thing, the only hold up on a deal right now is am I going to do two or three years,” he clarified to Traina. And the rest of the world.
Now, for those unaware, Charles Barkley locked in a 10-year contract with TNT in 2022. However, it wasn’t until two years later that he shared the full value, an eye-popping $210 million. “I’m not gonna lie, though, this is a life-altering deal…” he said of the deal back in 2022.
But now, with retirement knocking and the thought of grinding through seven more years becoming harder to stomach, it’s clear Chuck is thinking more about peace of mind than paychecks. However, there could possibly be other reasons for him to consider retirement, even though he denied it during the interview.
One of the possible reasons could be Chuck having to leave the network he has been associated with for decades. Let’s not forget that Chuck has already stated that while he has no issues with ESPN as such, he’s in no mood to work on other shows of the network. “It’s an honor and a privilege to work for ESPN, but I’m not gonna be going on First Take, Get Up, SportsCenter, Pat McAfee.”
Yep, the chances of seeing Stephen A. Smith and Barkley together on ESPN are thin. Furthermore, he has had his fair share of beef with the network. Nevertheless, the 11x All-Star will be moving to ESPN from next season, now that Inside the NBA recently witnessed its end on TNT.
Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal Had Their Last Show of the NBA on TNT
Earlier this month, fans got to witness something that might’ve felt a little surreal. Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson opened what would be their final regular-season broadcast of Inside the NBA on TNT. After years of laughs, debates, and unforgettable moments, the network has officially wrapped its regular season run of the show, with ESPN picking it up next.
The episode wasn’t just another recap of the night’s games. It came with a jam-packed lineup, especially from the Western Conference, where postseason fates were hanging by a thread. And Barkley, always one to call it like he sees it, made no secret of how pumped he was heading into the evening.
But before diving into basketball, the crew did something different. They stepped outside Studio J and gathered on a podium, looking back at their time together. Ernie Johnson, the heart of the show and a Hall of Fame broadcaster, led with a heartfelt tribute to the fans and the team behind the scenes.
Surrounded by crew members, families, and familiar faces who made the show what it was, the moment hit home. And as if to perfectly sum up the journey, they played some of the funniest clips from over the years. A reminder that while the show broke down basketball, it also brought pure joy to living rooms everywhere. It was clearly the end of an era.
Now, it’s to be seen how long the fans still get to enjoy the popular quartet of Inside the NBA, all depending upon Charles Barkley. Whether he stays for two more years or calls it quits sooner, Sir Charles’s voice will be missed. He changed how basketball is talked about on television — honest, hilarious, and unmistakably real. And whatever happens next, the legacy of Inside the NBA will always carry his fingerprints. As for Stephen A.? That dream showdown may just be the best debate that never happened!
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