After Adam Silver’s Apology, Charles Barkley Advises TNT on the Right Thing to Do for ‘Inside the NBA’

NBA looks likely to finalize a $76 billion deal with NBC, Disney, and Amazon. The deal, which will be in effect from the 2025/26 season, will leave Turner Sports out of the conversation for at least the next 11 years! But an announcement hasn’t been made. This has left those at TNT and Inside the NBA in a limbo. Although, NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued an apology for the delay, Charles Barkley wants the matter resolved quickly for the sake of those involved.

The NBA right saga has been going on ever since the expire of TNT’s renewal window in April. Since then, Disney and Amazon have been reported to have secured the two parts of the deal with the final part to be wrapped by NBC after their massive offer. There have been questions asked about the future on Inside the NBA and will the beloved show be coming to an end.

In his one-hour-long interview with Dan Dakich, Charles Barkley expressed hope for the show, while admitting he felt bad for the employees who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

Barkley admitted, “I hope we keep going, like I said, mainly for the people behind the scenes. Because you know, people behind the scenes work harder. We just show up and spew. I hope it works out for those guys., but like I said, man, I don’t know anything. I wish I did,” circling back to the uncertainty.

“Just let us know one way or the other. That’d be the right thing to do,” the ‘Chuckster’ concluded on OutKick. Barkley had expressed similar sentiments earlier as well.

In a conversation with Mad Dog Sports Radio’s Beadle & Decker, the 61-year-old said, “That’s the one thing that’s really, really bothered me the most about the TNT experience. Like, hey man, just tell us something. Everybody’s got an article coming out every day about ‘We’ve still got a chance’ or ‘We’ve lost it.’”

The show has been airing for over 30 years and has had a number of hosts. But the popularity and attention grabbed by Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith took the show to new heights. It became as much as a part of the game for the fans as the action on court itself.

TNT had a lot of time to match NBC’s reported $2.5 billion offer, but its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, is reported to be $40 billion in debt. The decision makers at WBD also felt the “ratings performance of the NBA on TNT didn’t justify a major increase in fees according,” according to WSJ. But WBD is also hoping to squeeze in somewhere and want the league to consider the idea of a fourth package.

This has only led to delay in finalizing a deal for NBA and Adam Silver apologized over the same fact. Talking to the media on June 7, during the NBA Finals media day, Silver said, “I will say directly from me to the people that seem to be most impacted right now—the folks at Turner Sports. I apologize that this has been a prolonged process.” However, Silver is not the reason behind the delay. He added before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, “I know that they’re committed to their jobs… No one likes this uncertainty.”

“And I think it’s on the league office to bring these negotiations to a head and conclude them as quickly as we can.” During the media day Silver also spoke about his close bond with the hosts of Inside the NBA. 

Adam Silver talks about special connection with the hosts of Inside the NBA

The NBA Commissioner termed Inside the NBA as “special“. Just like the basketball buffs, Silver has also loved watching Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson bring the best out of each other. He also delved deep into his friendship with the three players time they played in the NBA.

He said, “I have a close relationship with everyone who’s on that show from the from the time they played in the league as well and Ernie and I have been friends forever.”

Should the new deal go through, NBC will pay $2.5 billion every season for 100 games and half of them would be aired exclusively on Peacock. One will get to watch the games on NBC’s linear channels but only if there’s no clash with the NFL’s Sunday night coverage.

Amazon will reportedly pay $1.8 billion every year for its regular and postseason games, as well as the in-season tournament with the play-ins. A certain rotation policy for the Conference Finals is in the works too. All this would also include WNBA’s telecast rights. Once the Finals come to an end, we might get to know the fate of the NBA on TNT. 

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.