Just moments after taking a swing at Adam Silver, Charles Barkley finds himself in yet another twist. The NBA broadcasting rights now lie with Disney (ABC and ESPN), NBC, and Amazon. And this decision didn’t sit particularly well with Barkley, who said that “commissioners chose money over the fans.” Amidst all this, questions about whether Barkley will take up another broadcasting commitment are prominent. During a candid interview with Dan Patrick, Barkley spilled the beans about the same.

Barkley had announced his decision to retire in mid-July, saying that his 2024-25 season would be the last with the fan-favorite Inside the NBA. When asked whether he is in discussion with other networks now, Barkley admitted, “I have spoken to all three networks.” Patrick seized on this and pressed him about a potential deal with Amazon. He said, “So, you spoke to Amazon?…Amazon is where you could go…That doesn’t sound like somebody who’s gonna retire…”

To this, Barkley replied, “I don’t have to make any decisions for a year and I’m gonna listen. I’d be stupid not to take their call.” Barkley further added that he is keeping his options open.

Dan Patrick then asked if Barkley would consider moving to another network without his long-time colleagues Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. Barkley hesitated and said, “That’s a great question, Dan. I don’t know how to answer that question right now.” He even suggested that the bond with his co-hosts might influence his future decisions. However, one thing that stands clear is that Ernie would not stray away from Inside the NBA.

The cause of this drama revolves around the lucrative new 11-year media rights deal. The NBA recently signed a deal with Amazon Prime, NBC, and Disney valued at $76 billion. However, this does not sit well with TNT.

TNT to take the legal route

The longtime broadcasting partner of the NBA has filed a lawsuit against the league after its announcement of the media rights deals with Amazon, stating that it was a breach of their contract. The new deal has ended this 40 years of partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery and NBA.

Informing the same, TNT Sports released a statement. “Given the NBA’s unjustified rejection of our matching of a third-party offer, we have taken legal action to enforce our rights. We strongly believe this is not just our contractual right, but also in the best interest of fans who want to keep watching our industry-leading NBA content with the choice and flexibility we offer them through our widely distributed WBD video-first distribution platforms — including TNT and Max.”

Previously, Warner Bros. had also stated that they had matched one of the offers, which according to some sources was similar to that of the $1.8 billion package of live games reserved for Amazon. However, this was rejected by the NBA. This left WBD with no other option but to take the league to court.

As the plug has been finally pulled, Barkley promises to make the best of the 2024-2025 season. However, what the future holds for NBA and WBD, only time will tell. In the meantime, with just one season of Inside the NBA left, the fans can hope for some fun as their favorite stars hit back with their analysis.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us in the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.