BARKLEY COURTED
TNT star Charles Barkley reveals he’s held talks with three NBA rights holders as Dan Patrick questions if he’ll retire
Barkley revealed why he thinks TNT never had a chance in talks
CHARLES Barkley has opened the door to joining another broadcaster despite announcing his plans to retire.
The basketball great has been highly critical of the NBA's 11-year rights deal with Amazon, NBCUniversal and Disney-ESPN.
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Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT have been left without a package despite a last-gasp offer - leaving Barkley and Inside the NBA facing uncertain futures.
Barkley blasted the league for choosing money over fans, but admitted he has held talks with the three broadcasters.
“Everything is on the table,” he told Dan Patrick.
“They’ll either have to guarantee the full ten years or they’re going to have to ask me to take a pay cut, which, under no circumstances, am I taking a pay cut. Zero chance of me taking a pay cut.
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“I have spoken — for the last three months — I have spoken to all the networks. I'd be stupid not to take their call."
Patrick asked if Inside the NBA could take their entire crew to a new network.
“Well, first of all, you would have to ask Ernie (Johnson) that,” Barkley added.
“Because Ernie would probably never leave Turner. But, Dan, everything’s on the table.”
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Barkley, 61, is on a ten-year deal worth $210 million and says he is in no rush to make a decision with TNT having one season left.
His chat with Patrick came after he took to social media to slam the NBA.
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“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning,” he wrote.
“I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. TNT matched the money, but the league knows Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn’t want to p**s them off.
“It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks.
"I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner for the last 24 years.
"They are the best people and most talented and they deserve better.
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"I also want to thank the NBA and its fans – the best fans in sports. We’re going to give you everything we have next season.”
Barkley expanded on his views with Patrick.
“What I really think happened was, ‘cause they brought in another partner, this was a last-ditch cash grab by the NBA and the players,” he said.
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“That’s why I think they signed an 11-year deal, sort of like, ‘Hey, let’s get as much money as we possibly can right now. This is gonna be our last bite of the apple because TNT, ABC/ESPN, they’re not gonna pay more money going forward.’
"That’s why I think they’re like, ‘Let’s get in bed with the streaming ‘cause they’re gonna be the only people that can afford us in 11 years. That’s just my honest opinion.”