Charles Barkley Predicts ‘Hated’ TNT Paying More Than $300k For 2 Minute NBA Highlights

The 2024-25 season will mark a historic end to the 35-year relationship between the NBA and TNT.

As the NBA strikes a new deal for their television rights, TNTs beloved Inside the NBA show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille ONeal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson will soon come to an end as well.

Though fans will get to rejoice the crew for one final season, Barkley predicts that TNT will end up paying a fortune, just to keep the band together.

The Philadelphia 76ers legend was a guest speaker on The Mike Missanelli Show.

Now so far, none of the four hosts have signed a deal elsewhere, nor are there any rumors of the four parting ways.

Barkley was the one who did hear out offers from other companies but chose to stay with Turner.

And now that the NBA has signed a deal with Disney, Amazon, and ESPN, the chances of TNT retaining their rights look slim.

While talking to the host, Sir Charles mentioned speaking to two executives at TNT about the shows future.

And he was appalled at the fact that they wanted to keep the group together but without the basketball segment.

Theyre like, We wanna keep doing the show.

I say, What do you mean keep doing the show? We dont have basketball...Whatre we gonna talk about? Whatre we gonna do? Theyre like, Well, we havent figured that out yet.

We got a year to figure it out.

Barkley was perplexed at the idea of a show being hosted by three Hall of Famers and a veteran NBA analyst who does not have anything related to the league.

Moreover, he went on to reveal what he thinks TNTs path for the future is going to be.

We cant even show highlights.

We probably gotta pay for highlights.

And I know some people in sports, for a two-minute golf thing, you have to pay like, $300,000.

Can you imagine? The NBA really hated us...They dont wanna be with how much they charge us for highlights.

The player-turned-analyst believes that TNTs plan going forward will be to take that route.

But since the NBA and the network arent on the best of terms, Barkley predicts that Turner will be paying somewhat near that amount; probably more.

According to the 11x All-Star, one good thing that came out of this whole ordeal is the fact that about 200 people still get to keep their jobs, albeit for just another year.

Had Turners sour end with the league happened this year, the crew that made the show possible wouldve been left jobless.

And out of the 200 people losing their jobs, only a handful would be able to find a suitable replacement, if not better..

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