The 2024-25 NBA season is around the corner but the games are going to become a sideshow this year. Depending on how it goes, it might be the final season of NBA on TNT. That might also mark the end of Inside the NBA, or at least the 35-year-old format we’ve known it as. Charles Barkley chose to stay and there’s no indication that Ernie Johnson would leave or retire. But Kenny “The Jet” Smith hinted that moving on from TNT would be “monumental” of them. And through it all, Shaquille O’Neal has stayed quiet about his future.

By most observations, a $10 million paycheck is not incentive enough for $500 million rich, multipreneur Shaq to stick with TNT. Yet he doesn’t give any insight into what’s on his mind. It makes TNT fans nervous that he’s weighing his options and inclined for the commercially advantages options by leaving Turner.

Shaq could be Snoop Dogg

The entire NBA media rights saga made one thing very obvious – Shaq, Chuck, Ernie, and Kenny are the most expensive (potential) free agents in sportcasting history. Barkley did admit that he left $100 million on the table to continue his $210 million contract at Turner. And Kenny said, “we can do something that’s monumental in sports television,” if they stay or leave.

Ernie Johnson is deeply embedded in the Turner Sports organization. Chuck and Kenny have very few projects outside their TV jobs. But Shaquille O’Neal has a solid nest egg no matter what happens at TNT. He said so on The Draymond Green Show in July. “I’m glad I have different options to fall back on.”

To illustrate what a big, wide sportscasting world is out there for the giant, Damian Lillard’s agent Nate Jones made an interesting comparison. “Shaq is one of the few monoculture sports superstars left in the business today. Shaq and Charles [Barkley] are similar to Snoop Dogg where everyone from grandmas to young kids know who they are and love them.” Not to mention, Snoop Dogg joined NBC’s Olympic coverage, which not everyone gets to do.

Ex-TNT analyst, Dwyane Wade made his commentator debut at the Paris Olympics and could join NBC this way. Shaq’s TNT Tuesday co-host, Jamal Crawford, is a media free agent but his draw is not as big as Shaq’s and Chuck’s.

When Shaq retired from the NBA in 2011, he admitted he felt lost. He had no plans to get into sportscasting, yet jumped on TNT’s offer right away. This time, broadcast isn’t his only option. Shaq’s once again performing to thousands this time as a DJ, he’s got Big Chicken Shaq among multiple businesses, he’s focused on reviving Reebok, and he’s got multiple media productions including Unapologetically Angel with Angel Reese under The Big Podcast network going on.

Not only does he have bigger revenue streams in his other projects, he has established connections with TNT’s rivals. Consider Lucky 13. O’Neal co-hosts the game show with Gina Rodriguez on ABC, a Disney-owned network like ESPN.

Take Amazon for example. O’Neal has modelled his business style after Jeff Bezos and he has a lot of happy coincidences with Amazon, like investing in the Shark Tank reject Ring Doorbell before Bezos bought it for over $800 million. Now Shaq’s Jersey Legends Production premiered, The Money Game on Prime Video based on college NIL deals Reese and his own kids are part of. His production house is also making an Allen Iverson documentary for Prime.

How hard would it be for Amazon to give him a role with creative control and staying part of the NBA coverage they now have? NBC, ESPN, and Amazon are interested in one or all of the Inside Guys. They’re building a team of analysts and they’re very keen on TNT’s top on-air talent. Like Chuck, Shaq could command a salary worth his time elsewhere or gain more time on his gazillion profitable businesses. So what’s keeping him at TNT?

Chuck is a big incentive for Shaquille O’Neal

Draymond Green tried to get an answer out of Shaq but he kept it vague. He however said, “When I go left, it just starts to get sad. Like damn, no Ernie, no Chuck, no Kenny.” Yes, for all the times he says, “I hate you Charles,” he does want to keeping working on TV with his bestie.

The other enticement at TNT, Shaq admitted to Green is the love from fans. They’ve grown to love all their antics and authentic selves between the game analysis and O’Neal doesn’t think he’d find it elsewhere.

The benefits of leaving TNT is not lost on him as he says, “Then, when I think right, it’s a lot of other possibilities — great possibilities. But right now, I’m just gonna stay in the middle.” He’s definitely keeping us on the hook with his non-answers.

Barkley announced his retirement before the NBA media rights negotiation was up and he cancelled it right before WBD’s $1.6 billion stock crash. Both decisions, he made without discussing with the Inside Guys. But with TNT and the NBA locked in litigation, it makes sense for Shaq to not make a hasty decision. Like, what if he leaves and by some miracle TNT keeps the NBA?

And if you think about it, since Barkley plans to develop new shows for TNT in the post-NBA era, Shaq has the entertainment quotient for it. It all comes down to Shaq picking between the financial advantages outside and the emotional connection at TNT. Don’t expect his decision any time soon though.