Despite 1% Hope, Shaquille O’Neal Lives in Denial About Inside the NBA’s Termination: “It Starts to Get Sad”

TNT’s long-standing relationship with the NBA might be coming to an end. In a recent episode of ‘The Draymond Green Show,’ former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal and Golden State Warriors’ Green discussed the potential termination of Turner Sports’ partnership with the NBA. According to reports, the NBA, which has broadcast partnerships with TNT dating back to 1989, may not include Turner Sports in its subsequent multibillion-dollar TV negotiations, expected to start after the 2024–2025 season.

Draymond Green, a recent addition to TNT’s fan-favorite, ‘Inside the NBA,’ broached the topic on his podcast. Shaq, who has been with TNT since 2011 and has since become an integral part of the show alongside Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, responded with a hint of denial. “I don’t like to think left which is negative. I don’t like to think right. I like to think what it is. So until we hear what it is, I don’t know. You know, I’m glad I have different options to fall back on, but you know, when I go left it just starts to get sad like, ‘Damn, no Ernie, no Chuck, no Kenny,'” he admitted. His emotional turmoil was palpable.

At the same time, O’Neal tried to remain hopeful about possibilities outside of TNT. He said, “When I think right, it’s a lot of other possibilities, so many great possibilities. But right now I’m going just stay in the middle.” The player is not ready to move on from Inside the NBA yet. The show first acquired the rights to broadcast games in the 1989-90 season. After almost 35 years together, the league might have to say goodbye to its favorite NBA analysts.

According to multiple sources, the NBA does not plan on continuing its decades-long relationship with TNT. To keep up with its audience’s viewing trends, the NBA is trying to sign up with a streaming partner for the first time. The NBA intends to expand its current television contracts with Disney and TNT’s Warner Bros. by adding a third media partner. As a result, the upcoming media rights deals will skyrocket and TNT might be unable to help to work out a deal.

Currently, NBCUniversal has offered a bid of $2.5 billion, which is $1.3 billion more than what TNT’s deal provides annually, $1.2 billion. NBC, who has not broadcasted an NBA game since 2002 plans to come back and capitalize on their pre-existing audience. For TNT, a lot is at stake here. They are renowned for their NBA coverage and if TNT were to lose its rights, they would lose two of their most important personalities; Barkley and Shaq.

Will TNT be able to bounce back?

In light of the negotiations recently, Charles Barkley cleared the air on his future. In an interview with Dan Patrick, he said, “We had a disagreement when I was re-doing my deal two years ago about what happens if we lose the NBA. I wanted to put myself in the best possible scenario. I said, ‘I wanna be a free agent if we lose the NBA.” So if they lose the rights, Barkley is out. But that’s not it. In such a scenario, TNT is likely to lose Shaq as well. Recent rumors have speculated that Shaq would leave if they stopped covering the NBA. From his latest comments on Green’s podcast, it seems that he is already exploring options outside the Inside show. What does the future hold for the duo? Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, feels the two should not be separated.

So why is TNT not trying to out-bid NBC? Unfortunately, if they wanted to seal the deal, matching NBC’s deal would not be enough. Sources say that the NBA feels that NBC is an over-the-air network that has multiple broadcast windows, something that TNT lacks. The league is currently demanding that TNT increase its bid to $2.8 billion per season.

At the same time, if this relationship were to end, the league would also be losing a significant show, ‘Inside the NBA.’ If this contract is to terminate, TNT would suffer a 45% loss in their carriage fees. That rounds up to a loss of $270 million. The two parties have been negotiating back and forth but have yet to conclude. Some feel that TNT may be able to match NBC’s deal.

The league is set to make an official announcement after the finals. The potential departure of Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley has fans emotional. Could this iconic era be coming to an end? Watch this space to stay updated on the ongoing negotiations.