Charles Barkley calls TNT leaders ‘clowns’ and says he could take over Inside the NBA production

Charles Barkley is frustrated over the fact that TNT is on the verge of losing their rights to broadcast the NBA, as there is a possibility that Inside the NBA might also disappear. The last reports suggest that the league is finalizing their new media rights deal with Disney/ESPN, Amazon and NBA.

If things continue down this road, it would leave TNT without basketball actions for the first time in over two decades. Even though parent company Warner Bros. Discovery have the money to match NBC’s package, they seem unlikely to proceed in this direction.

Chuck recently appeared on The Dan Patrick Show and spit out everything he had stored in his mind about this issue. The Hall of Famer sounded off on the TNT leadership that is letting the league walk out the door. “Morale sucks, plain and simple. I just feel so bad for the people I work with, Dan. These people have families and I just really feel bad for them right now.

“These people I work with, they screwed this thing up, clearly, and we don’t have zero idea what’s gonna happen. I don’t feel good. I’m not gonna lie, especially when they came out yesterday and said we bought college football. I was like, well, damn, they could have used that money to buy the NBA,” he said on air.

While Inside the NBA remains one of the most popular studio shows in the sport world, alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith, Barkley admitted that his contract allows him to become a free agent if the network loses its rights.

However, the former Suns star suggested that he’s considering to take a step forward and take over the entire show. “I’ve talked to the guys about everybody signing with my production company, because I have my own production company, and I would love to do that if we lose it.

“Actually, somebody suggested that to me, to be honest with you, on the internet. Why don’t Charles Barkley sign these three guys, four guys total, it’s his production company, and sell it? I’m like, that’s a great idea. But like I said, we’re just sitting back, waiting on these people to figure out what they’re going to do,” Barkley insisted.

Chuck believes that Warner Bros CEO angered Adam Silver when he said they didn’t need really need the NBA in 2022

When talking about what truly troubles him, Barkley revealed why he believes the league isn’t interested in negotiating with Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the basketball icon, CEO David Zaslav pissed off commissioner Adam Silver by saying “We don’t have to have the NBA” two years ago.

The Hall of Famer explained that part of his anger is due to the fact that a lot of his colleagues and show producers will be without a job. “I am [angry]. You know, Dan, it’s so interesting, I’ve been spending a lot of time with the crew lately.

Charles Barkley calls out 'clown' boss David Zaslav for potentially losing the NBA rights

"[He] came out and said, 'We don't need the NBA' … that probably pissed Adam [Silver] off … but the people who work there … we need it"

(via @dpshow) pic.twitter.com/eROQGlRS6G

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) May 23, 2024

“I’ve actually been with these guys where I’ve spent time with their — they bring their newborns in, they bring their kids in, they come in like when they were in high school and now they’ve graduated from college. That’s how long. Ernie’s been there 32 years, Kenny’s been there 27, I’ve been there 24, but think about that.”

Chuck recognized he doesn’t want to leave his family in TNT. “Some of these people I work with, they brought their newborns in to say hello to us, they brought them in in high school when they graduated, and now they’ve already graduated from college. So, yeah, I’m angry at people — they’re part of my family, to be honest with you. And I feel bad for those guys,” he admitted.