Did Charles Barkley sacrifice his reported $100 million offer for nothing? One of the primary reasons given by Chuck for not leaving TNT in a tough spot was not just its cast but the entire staff associated with Inside the NBA. But it turns out he may as well have been worrying for no reason. At least that’s what Kenny Smith’s recent statement indicates.

During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated on behalf of FanDuel, Smith opened up on how he started with the network in his 30s. And how he got the chance to work with a great crew over the years. “Everyone on our staff, from the person who does the statistics to makeup to production to producers, everyone is coveted by everyone. Not only by Warner Bros. Discovery, but other networks. I don’t think any of us are worried about job security,” he added.

This statement in itself comes as a major contradiction to Charles Barkley’s concern. During his appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show, Chuck stated the primary reason to turn down the reported $100 million offer was his colleagues being his priority. “The number one thing for me is my people at TNT to keep their jobs for at least another year,” he said. But now it turns out that the people at TNT are not in a problem regarding job security.

Yet another contrast in Smith’s answers to SI was his acceptance that he does not mind moving around. He highlighted he would’ve not won his 2 championships, if it wasn’t for his trade to Rockets. “I’m not going to always look at change as bad…” he said. Meanwhile, Charles Barkley has been constantly criticizing the ever since the possibility of changes in TNT arose.

Now, the network may have entered into a legal battle with NBA. Claiming the league did not honor the clause which would’ve granted them broadcasting rights for matching Amazon’s offer. But the chances of TMT emerging out with a safe spot for Inside the NBA seem thin. Amid all of this, a major relief for the fans of the show and seemingly for Chuck as well has been the recent decision by TNT.

Has TNT breathed a major hope in Inside the NBA crew by recalling a legend from its past?

TNT recently brought back Tim Kiely—a decision that’s making waves in the sports media world. After retiring in 2023, TK’s return seems to have sparked new hope for the network. Now, if you’re not too familiar with him, let’s catch you up. TK joined TNT way before even Charles Barkley made his debut on the network.

And Kiely was the mastermind behind Inside the NBA from 1995 to 2023 as the producer of the show. Those iconic moments on Inside the NBA—the off-script banter, the realness, the laughs—much of that comes from TK’s vision. He was the one to move ahead with the idea of a script and teleprompter free show. And he was also the one who gave the show its faces by bringing in Kenny Smith in 1998, Charles in 2000, and Shaq in 2011.

But now, with TNT possibly losing its NBA rights, the future of the show feels a bit uncertain, doesn’t it? Some are even concerned about Inside the NBA moving to a different network. But with Kiely back where he belongs, it feels like TNT has a real shot to adapt, or maybe even create something fresh.

After all, Inside the NBA didn’t just complete 35 years by chance. And during the time, it also won 21 Sports Emmys and even claimed the prestigious Curt Gowdy Transformative Media Award. So with Kiely back in his chair, Inside the NBA crew can feel more relaxed than they already have been, as mentioned by Kenn Smith.