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‘Scared, Concerned, Stressful': Charles Barkley on Possibility of TNT Losing the NBA

Charles Barkley says everyone at TNT is ‘scared to death’ about losing its NBA deal.

Jimmy Traina

February 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NBA great Charles Barkley is honored for being selected to
February 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NBA great Charles Barkley is honored for being selected to / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

1. With the possibility growing that TNT (Warner Brothers Discovery) will be squeezed out of the NBA in the current negotiations for new television deals to begin after next season, Charles Barkley is opening up about the mood at the company.

Appearing on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle and Silvy on Tuesday, Barkley got brutally honest when he was asked about the future of Inside the NBA.

“We have zero idea what’s going to happen,” Barkley said. “We might lose it. I feel so bad for the people I work with. It is brutal. It is flat-out brutal. Everybody’s scared to death.”

“This is the first time during the exclusive window we did not re-sign in advance. I will tell you this, it’s very stressful for the people I work with. I wish I could give you an answer. We might lose it. It’s 50/50 that we lose our part to NBC. Am I concerned? One hundred percent. Because as much as we have been partners with the NBA for 40 years, you would think if it was close in a bidding war, we would get the benefit of the doubt, but clearly that’s not happening."

While the NBA has a massive offer from NBC for the league’s “B” package (ABC/ESPN already has re-upped for the “A” package) and another big offer from Amazon, the biggest ramification for sports fans if TNT gets shut off will be the loss of the iconic Inside the NBA.

Barkley has already said that if TNT loses the NBA, his contract states that he becomes a free agent.

Barkley’s point about Turner’s relationship with the NBA shouldn’t get lost here. Turner Sports has been airing NBA games since the 1984–85 season. The NBA doesn’t care even one bit. Like with every sports league, the only concern is getting every last penny possible for its owners. Loyalty does not exist in sports.

2. HBO is adding a five-episode offseason edition of Hard Knocks. This series will feature the New York Giants and kick off on July 2 and run through July 30.

3. As someone who doesn’t follow the WNBA, but has obviously witnessed the unprecedented Caitlin Clark hype, I found this note on ticket sales for the Indiana Fever's first home game Thursday shocking.

4. I’m a big Tom Brady fan, but this I don’t get. Brady says he was unhappy with jokes about his family that were made at the roast last week because of how they affected his kids. There’s nothing wrong with that take, but my issue is this: What did he think was going to happen? Had he never watched a roast before? It’s shocking to me that Brady would be shocked by any jokes told at a roast. The whole point of a roast is to cross the line and get as brutal as possible.

5. The MVP gave an MVP quote after a monster game (40 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists) Tuesday night.

6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast features a conversation with Katie Nolan.

Nolan, who is a lifelong New England Patriots fans, breaks down all aspects of The Roast of Tom Brady on Netflix: best and worst roasters, what made her cringe, what was wrong with Ben Affleck, why was Bill Belichick so enjoyable, why was Kim Kardashian there, why was it so long and much, much more.

Nolan also talks about where her career is at, why she didn't join Dan Le Batard's Meadowlark Media when she was offered a job there, what she's looking for in sports media, her appearance on Celebrity Jeopardy! and more.

Following Nolan, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for our weekly "Traina Thoughts" segment. This week's topics include more on the Brady roast, the Drake–Kendrick Lamar beef, the Kentucky Derby, Netflix possibly airing Christmas Day NFL games and more.

You can also listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: On this date in 1997, we were treated to "The Summer of George."

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.

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Jimmy Traina
JIMMY TRAINA

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.

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