You thought the rollercoaster that was the potential end of Inside the NBA was over? Sure ESPN will keep it going after this season. But will it be with our same beloved quartet? The latest developments indicate Shaquille O’Neal is the holdup. He said in several interviews before the ESPN licensing deal that he couldn’t imagine not working alongside Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, and Kenny Smith. But the scenario has changed with this deal. Shaq was the last to join Inside the NBA but it feels like this is the only crew we’ve ever known. And they’re sort of a package deal between TNT and ESPN. But if Shaq chooses to not join the ESPN party, who could fill his size 22 shoes?

Now, despite the hurt feelings, there’s a high chance Shaq will continue. Like Chuck, he too is disappointed with Turner’s handling of this situation. But the band wants to stay together even if Barkley still wants to retire. In case the Inside Guys are one man down, fans threw in some names who could potentially replace them.

Reggie Miller’s potential return?

Inside the NBA originated in 1989 with Ernie Johnson as the staple and a rotation of NBA pros-turned-analysts. Kenny “The Jet” Smith was the first permanent addition, followed by Charles Barkley. Magic Johnson turned to his analyst career when prime Shaq was on his championship run. He’d abruptly leave and Reggie Miller joined the Studio J panel in 2008.

Shaquille O’Neal retired in 2011 with no precise plans for the future. But after a few months of boredom, he jumped on the chance TNT presented. He debuted on Inside the NBA in 2011 with his own segment, ‘Shaqtin a Fool.’ He replaced Reggie Miller but his Pacers rival didn’t leave the network the way Magic did. He transitioned to a color commentator and occasionally banters with the Inside Guys on the headset.

In February, Miller agreed to a multi-year extension with TNT despite the uncertainty of the media rights situation. He was determined to make the final season of NBA on TNT worthwhile. Miller, though, is not part of the Inside the NBA package going to ESPN.

Unless he’s officially part of the show or goes to another network, what his future broadcasting career entails is still unclear. If he has to potentially fill in for Shaq, it would be coming full circle for the Pacers legend.

Jalen Rose’s backdoor comeback to ESPN

It was a shocker when ESPN laid off Jalen Rose in 2023. Even Barkley was mad at ESPN for it. Since then, TNT lost the NBA package to NBC Sports. This month, NBC also picked up Jalen Rose as their new college basketball analyst. A few weeks later, Rose popped by TNT to sub in Kenny Smith, who was away on Thanksgiving.

Rose’s halftime report, chemistry with Shaq and Chuck, and familiarity with ‘Inside’ inside jokes won over TNT viewers. Fans were even expressing their approval in case Rose and TNT make this a regular thing. The next best thing is Rose, along with Smith returning to the NBA Cup group stage coverage again. Fans, though, signed off on making the Inside Guys a quintet.

If Rose has to permanently replace one of them, that too when the show is heading to ESPN, it’s his indirect return to his broadcast home of 15 years. What complicates it is his brand new commitment to NBC Sports, the new NBA media partner.

Dwyane Wade’s third reunion with Shaquille O’Neal could fall through

TNT has a way of swooping up titanic players when they’re close to hanging up their sneakers. They signed on Dwyane Wade similarly right after he retired in 2019. It reunited him with the big guy who won him and the Miami Heat the first championship, i.e. Shaquille O’Neal. Together with Adam Lefkoe and Candace Parker, they headlined TNT Tuesdays.

Wade was on the Shaq track of business simultaneously. Which is why he decided to leave TNT in 2022 to focus on his multiple ventures. He was away from the media until his podcasts this year. And then something remarkable happened.

D-Wade was in the Olympics for the third time in the same space as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. But the former two played on Team USA. Wade and Melo are retired. Melo turned into a spectator and sideline coach while The Flash was on official duty – the color commentator on NBC’s Olympic basketball coverage. He was pretty fun too. It showed he’s built for broadcasting duties. And since NBC won the NBA package the same summer, there was speculation they could call Wade to headline their basketball coverage.

What if TNT gave Wade a call, though? They could suddenly find themselves without an analyst, no one for Chuck to contradict, and a show to put on at ESPN. Wade could fit right in. It just won’t be across Shaq, though.

This is all fantastical speculation, though. Shaquille O’Neal wants to continue but is frustrated that TNT isn’t focusing on his contract which expires in July 2025. That leaves a small window for TNT to not botch this up. But as a parlor game, who do you think could take a vacant spot on Inside the NBA?