There are few shows that can compete with the chemistry and energy of TNT’s “Inside the NBA.” Basketball fans love the back-and-forth between host Ernie Johnson and analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley.
But the show’s future is now seriously in jeopardy. Turner lost the rights to stream NBA games to ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon, meaning networks like TNT and TBS will no longer air NBA games starting with the 2025-26 season.
With no NBA games on the network, there are questions about whether the show will continue. Barkley had previously suggested he would use a buyout clause in his contract if Turner lost NBA rights, and that departure could signal a major shift for the show.
While the show has been hugely popular, viewership could drop if all of the show’s biggest stars leave and if TNT doesn’t have any matches preceding or following the show. The panel has been the same since 2011 and it could be hard for fans to imagine the show without the current quartet.
Here’s what you need to know about the future of “Inside the NBA” following the media rights swap.
What will happen with ‘Inside the NBA’?
One of the show’s analysts has all but stated his future plans even before Turner lost his NBA rights. Barkley signed a 10-year deal with TNT in 2022, but added a buyout clause in case Turner lost his NBA license.
“I said, ‘If you guys lose the NBA, I want to make sure I can get out of here.’ So I’m actually in a pretty good position.” Barkley said in an interview on 850 ESPN Cleveland.
“Listen, I love TNT, they’ve been great to me… I wanted to make sure that if we lost the NBA in two years, I could be a free agent.”
It seems unlikely that Johnson will leave, even after TNT lost the rights to the NBA. Johnson will reportedly stay with the network. According to the Sports Business Journaland one source said: “It’s Turner Sports. Period.”
There were additional reports that even if Barkley were to leave, O’Neal wouldn’t necessarily follow due to his other interests, according to SBJ. O’Neal has also publicly expressed his desire to become an owner of an NBA team, telling the DeVos family, which owns the Magic, to “call me” when they want him to leave TNT during his number retirement ceremony in Orlando.
Smith has not publicly stated anything about his future with the show.
Even if the analysts were reunited on a different network, Barkley said the show would still be different without the host of the show since 1989.
“Our program will not be the same without Ernie. Ernie is the most important person on our program.” Barkley said on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
Barkley also speculated that he might not even be dependent on Smith, O’Neal and Barkley if Turner were to lose his NBA rights.
“The other three of us are in trouble, basically,” Barkley told Patrick. “Not necessarily in trouble, but we won’t have a job.”
Now that those rights have been officially sold, it’s time to wait and see what happens with “Inside the NBA.”
Charles Barkley Net Worth
Barkley has a net worth of approximately $60 million. According to Celebrity Net Worth.
His 2022 contract with TNT is reportedly worth more than $100 million over 10 years. by Front Office Sports.
