Is TNT Falling Apart? Analyzing Charles Barkley’s Exposé After Recent Dispute Between Inside the NBA Crew

TNT’s nightmares are coming true. Inside the NBA might be on its final leg as TNT’s on the verge of losing the NBA. Charles Barkley has gone rogue and now there’s infighting with the Inside Guys. Though reports claim the NBA is close to finalizing the deal with ESPN, Amazon, and NBC – without TNT – Adam Silver kept an ounce of hope alive that could keep the Inside Guys from disbanding. While that is unofficial, things have reached a boiling point. The uncertainty among fans is shared with the people working at TNT, as Chuck has repeatedly asserted. His unfiltered antics have amplified this situation and are causing some tension with the rest of his colleagues.

It is not as superficial as infighting and frustrations over job security. Inside the NBA had been on air for a decade with a rotation of analysts till Charles Barkley became the star of the show. When the star threatens to reboot the show independently, it doesn’t bode well.

Chuck goes rogue

Charles Barkley has been on the media circuit talking about the NBA media rights situation for a while now. Yet, it didn’t come to a head until he gave an exclusive interview to The New York Times. This was controversially an unapproved interview. Does that matter to Sir Charles? “I can talk to who I want to,” he reportedly told Kenny Smith.

NY Times reporter Tania Ganguli approached the Inside Guys after the Western Conference Finals Game 2 in Minnesota. Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal refused. Charles Barkley didn’t. Shaq apparently kept out of it but there was an argument between Chuck and Ernie and Kenny.

The Godfather, who usually plays peacemaker on air, admonished the reporter for not running it by Turner first. Chuck led Ganguli away to do the interview but Kenny tried to prevent it. “You should do that out there,” The Jet apparently told Barkley. “She should clear it through Turner; she should do it the right way.”

Barkley didn’t take heed. In the end, the NY Times published Barkley’s interview on May 28 from Minneapolis titled, “Its Future in Doubt, the Freewheeling ‘Inside the NBA’ Is on Edge Instead.” On edge is right. Over three decades of Emmy-winning unscripted basketball entertainment could end after the 2024-25 season. If he has to retire, Barkley is content. He only worries about all the jobs at TNT that will be lost.

“It’s people’s lives,” Barkley said on the record in the unauthorized interview. “Not my life. Not Ernie’s life. Not Kenny’s life. Not Shaq’s life. But all the people who work here. We probably have 100 people who do work on the show. So they’re, like, real people. I’ve seen their kids born, graduate high school, graduate college.”

It’s not uncommon for the Inside Guys to have big arguments. They probably laughed it off later but Ernie and Kenny have been quiet about the situation in general. Shaq has been cryptic more than once, though he claimed he has faith that the show will be saved. TNT didn’t comment on it but Barkley has been on a campaign, nonetheless.

The only window to the TNT situation – Charles Barkley

The Inside Guys signed 10-year contract extensions in 2022. But Chuck (and reportedly even Shaq) has a free agency clause to exit before the contract expires in case the NBA leaves TNT. In the lead-up to the bidding war, Chuck even hinted at retiring or jumping ship to a new network only if it’s all four of them. When word surfaced that NBC was close to taking the NBA with a $2.6 billion bid, Chuck revealed that the situation was dire. With MLB duties at TNT too, it’s unlikely Ernie would leave. Rumors are rife that the three NBA pros-turned-analysts would disband too.

Speaking on TNT CEO David Zaslav’s 2022 comment that they don’t need the NBA, Barkley said, “He don’t need it. But the rest of the people, me, Kenny, Shaq, and Ernie and the people who work there, we need it.” He was honest with Dan Patrick on his show that TNT employees are fearful of losing their jobs. For them, he disclosed that he’s been in talks with Shaq, Kenny, and Ernie, to reboot Inside the NBA through his own production company. He went on to call the Turner leadership “clowns“ for mishandling the negotiations.

This situation is why Shaq apparently told another interviewer – with a cheeky grin too – “We aren’t allowed to talk ever since Chuck’s outburst.” Hardly a deterrent for Chuck. Even though the TNT PR team declined interviews, Barkley let out his honest feelings behind his harsh words.

“I love my job,” the 61-year-old, who wanted to retire at 60, told the NY Times. “Been working with these people for 24 years, we have a lot of fun together. And we’re hoping it continues. We’re hoping, but we have no control over it.” TNT never had control over Chuck. But when he says it’s out of control, we might have to prepare for the worst.