Hoops fans should not expect to get any positive affirmations from Charles Barkley about the future of the NBA on TNT. Barkley predicted on Inside the NBA on Wednesday night that the Oklahoma City Thunder would easily defeat the Dallas Mavericks. Luka Dončić made light of Barkley's prophecy following the Mavericks' victory. He asked the Hall of Famer to make the same prediction prior to their upcoming matchup with Oklahoma City. Chuck's predictions and guarantees almost always backfire on him, which causes a great deal of enjoyment for everyone else.
“Luka getting a firm grasp on what fans have thought for a while, Chuckster. If you root for the other team, then you might be in pretty good shape,” Ernie Johnson said jokingly to Chuck after listening to Dončić’s comment. “Well, at least you don’t have to worry about it much longer,” Barkley said, laughing. Barkley is implying that TNT won’t be able to match NBC’s deal, and Inside the NBA and NBA on TNT won't be around much longer, unfortunately for hoops fans.
Charles Barkley Implies TNT Has Lost It’s NBA Bid
That suggests that Barkley doesn't think Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA will be able to come to an arrangement so that TNT will continue to air its slate of games. After the 2024–25 season, Warner Bros. Discovery/TNT's existing NBA rights agreement will expire. At an offer of $2.5 billion annually, NBC is thought to be the front-runner in winning NBA rights. Negotiations are apparently stalled because the NBA wants WBD to bid $2.8 billion annually. Even though WBD is supposedly eager to match NBC's offer.
Barkley recently lamented the situation and the environment it has caused on set. He said, “Everybody is scared to death” amid the negotiations. Barkley’s colleague Kenny Smith also made some bleak jokes about TNT’s future, saying, "Oh this might be our last day anyway." Overall, it is going to be a sad day for hoop heads when Inside The NBA is no more. Fans are already grieving the show, posting their favorite moments from the show that feature Shaq, Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith.
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