Open Thread: Charles Barkley left $100M on the table to keep his TNT team in tact for its final season

The Hall of Famer showed loyalty to those who’ve made him look good year after year

After years of the Spurs being considered “too boring” to garner nationally televised games, they seem to be primed for a reboot. And just in time for the game to alter the way NBA fans view the game.

With the NBA’s new eleven-year media agreement, basketball fans had been questioning where they will be getting their live coverage. The surge of popularity of alternate viewing platforms and a $77 billion — that’s billion with a “B” — deal is moving on from the old. In the wake of the changes that begin in 2025-2026 season, TNT is closing the door on its long-running Inside the NBA.

The network mainstay developed broadcasting careers for retired NBAv stars Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and Charles Barkley. Along with Ernie Johnson, the award-winning quartet’s infectious chemistry has placed them in the living rooms of millions of avid fans for countless hours.

Just a couple of months ago, Charles Barkley stated that he would retire from television after this upcoming season.

Since then, Barkley shared that he personally left $100M on the table to stay with Turner Sports for its final year of NBA coverage.

On the Dan Le Batard Show podcast, Barkley stated:

“I want to thank all of those networks for reaching out to me. It was really humbling and cool, to be honest with you. Even though they were throwing crazy numbers, like damn, but as long as I got my people safe at TNT man, I feel really good.”

Although he was offered broadcasting positions with entities that will carry the torch, Barkley’s choice to stay kept his team employed for another season.

“The No. 1 thing for me is my people from Turner get to keep their jobs for at least another year. That’s all I was concerned with.”

Not bad for a guy who once proclaimed that he was not a role model.

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