How different is the NBA going to be with legendary reporter Adrian Wojnarowski leaving to help college basketball? Will the NBA fans miss the ‘Woj bombs‘ or will it be forgotten easily? Shaquille O’Neal and Mark Cuban are here to discuss Wojnarowski’s unexpected exit, but there is a difference in opinion. One feels that the 55-year-old reporter’s absence will be felt in the NBA world, but the other does not believe so. Amid this, let’s not forget that ESPN has already recruited Shams Charania, who seems to have settled for a much lesser salary when compared to what Wojnarowski was earning

Shaq released a new episode of ‘The Big Podcast‘ which stars Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The two shed some light on the NBA without Wojnarowski. “It’s going to be different,” said Cuban. Before he could finish, he noticed Shaq nodding his head in denial. As always, the Big Diesel had a different perspective. 

Shaq chimed in, “Woj was just a well-respected guy. When you respect somebody and share certain information with them…Woj had high integrity and high trust. There’s a lot of guys who’re going to be taking his position.“

Cuban agreed to Shaq’s statement and also hinted that Shams Charania is a “good“ replacement for Wojnarowski on the podcast. While Woj and Shams were rivals in terms of breaking the biggest updates in the NBA world, Woj had been the first to do so. Even players were aware of Woj Bombs and sometimes, they got to know updates on their own careers through him. Shams has some big shoes to fill as he has officially stepped into the shoes of Wojnarowski.

We might hear a few ‘Sham-bombs‘ soon, but before that, let’s take a look into the salary drama between Charania and ESPN. Did the 30-year-old settle for a lower salary when compared with Wojnarowski? 

What is Shams Charania’s contract with ESPN? How different is it from that of Wojnarowski’s? 

Wojnarowski had signed a 5 year, $35 million contract with ESPN in 2022. After exercising just two years of this massive deal, he announced his retirement from reporting. Wojnarowski left the remaining $20 million of his contract to join the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball program as a general manager. 

Fans expected that ESPN would pay something similar to Charania. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. As per multiple reports, it looks like Charania has settled for a contract that is ‘less than half‘ of what Wojnarowski was earning. Surprising, isn’t it? 

Charania became a free agent this summer. His contract with The Athletic, FanDuel TV, and Stadium had expired, and with Wojnarowski’s departure, he was destined to join ESPN. Although the paycheck might be less, this could be the start of something huge. All eyes are on Charania right now. With the NBA season starting soon, let’s wait and watch if the 30-year-old reporter can continue the tradition that Wojnarowski left.