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[Saba Sports News] Charles Barkley and the rest of the Inside the NBA crew are preparing for the show’s transition to ESPN and ABC, but Barkley is making it clear—he doesn’t plan to stick around much longer.
Despite being in the middle of a 10-year, $210 million deal he signed with TNT in 2022, Barkley says he’s only committing to two more seasons. While TNT will continue producing Inside the NBA from its Atlanta studio, Barkley made it known during a Monday appearance on The Dan Patrick Show that he recently finalized a new short-term agreement and isn’t interested in being stretched too thin.
“My big thing was the work schedule,” Barkley said. “I got together with TNT last week and I signed a deal. … I said I’d work for two more years and that’s what I agreed to. I’m gonna have to trust them. If they start trying to work me too much between ESPN and TNT, I’m just gonna walk on home.”
While his original contract runs through 2032, Barkley dismissed the idea of fulfilling the full term.
“I actually have seven years left on my contract. I’m like, ‘Yeah, there’s no way I’m working seven years,’” he added. “I’ll be a good soldier for Kenny, Ernie, Shaq, and the behind-the-scenes crew—because I love those people—but two years is all they’re getting.”
Barkley has often talked about retirement but keeps coming back—likely due in part to the hefty salary. Still, he previously said he’d quit if TNT lost NBA rights, which has now happened. His latest comments suggest he’ll give the ESPN/ABC version of Inside the NBA two years before stepping away.
This isn’t the first time Barkley has issued blunt statements about his future role, insisting he won’t be making appearances across multiple ESPN programs. Whether he follows through or not, one thing’s certain—Barkley won’t hold back, and the networks have been warned.