Shaq & Charles Barkley Hang Tight as $7 Billion News Forces TNT’s Desperate Fight for ‘Inside the NBA’

Many mourned the tragic fate of their beloved basketball show ‘Inside the NBA’ last week. With reports of NBC cracking, the new broadcasting deal with the league, a dark cloud loomed on TNT’s future. However, this playoffs might not be the last rodeo for Shaq, Charles Barkley, and the Crew.

According to a new report on X, TNT might still have another round left. “Don’t Count Out TNT for NBA Rights Just Yet,” read the caption. Warner Brothers Discovery, the parent company of TNT, remains the underdog in the competitive landscape. However, it’s striving for a last-minute comeback to secure TNT’s 40-year partnership with the NBA. Meanwhile, the NBA stands to significantly benefit, potentially tripling the value of its long-term rights deal from $25 billion to around $75 billion.

TNT’s trump card remains Inside the NBA, widely regarded as the greatest sports studio show in TV history. With the show’s future uncertain, there’s a renewed appreciation for its cast: Barkley, O’Neal, Kenny ‘The jet” Smith, and Ernie Johnson. As Awful Announcing wrote Monday, “Everything about Inside the NBA feels authentic and real, which would make its loss devastating for NBA fans,” a sentiment that encapsulates the typical reaction from fans and media.

So, with the NBA securing $7 billion annually for media rights, the salary cap is expected to increase by the maximum of 10% per season starting in 2025-26. In an interview with Dan Patrick, Barkley described TNT’s NBA negotiations as “very stressful” for everyone involved. However, the Hall of Famer confirmed that he insisted on an out clause in his latest contract negotiation in case TNT loses the rights.

Charles Barkley on his future with TNT

Charles Barkley said in the same interview, “I love TNT. I love everybody at TNT. They’ve been great for me. But I don’t want to be in limbo if we lose the NBA. That wouldn’t be fair to me.”  However, TNT will broadcast Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Mavericks and Timberwolves on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Warriors star Draymond Green will join the Inside the NBA team to offer pregame, halftime, and postgame analysis.

The fight for the one of NBA’s best analysis show is still in full swing. However, if it does not work, Barkley will leave but there are still no plans that Shaq or Ernie Johnson has relayed to the media. Will a league institution stop airing after years of excellence? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.