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As TNT’s NBA coverage enters the final year of its contract, Inside The NBA’s future hangs in the balance. Amazon Prime’s regular-season NBA coverage will tip off at the start of the 2025-26 season. NBC/Peacock will air approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and at least half will air on NBC. However, will there be space for TNT’s Inside The NBA?
On a recent episode of the Bill Simmons podcast, Charles Barkley addressed the future of his NBA late-night show.
“I have zero idea what we’re gonna do,” Barkley said about Inside The NBA’s fate beyond the 2024-25 campaign. “What makes it even funnier — they don’t even have no idea what we’re gonna do.”
With no TV deal to air NBA games, Barkley says TNT plans to still carry its NBA on TNT staple into the 2025-26 campaign.
“I’m sitting in this meeting in Philly, [they’re] like, we wanna keep doing the show. I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ like we wanna keep ya’ll together,” Barkley said. “Well, I would consider that because I want all my friends to keep their jobs. I said, what are we going to do? They’re like, “We haven’t figured that out yet,” I’m like, what? We won’t have basketball. What the hell are we going to do? That’s the thing that’s fascinating: I know we have one more year with the NBA.
“Then, we’re going to lose it, and they want to do the show for at least another year. And I’m like, we don’t even have basketball. We’re going to have to pay for highlights.”
Still, Barkley remains loyal to his TNT network.
Charles Barkley trashes NBA's new TV deal with Amazon on social media
In July, Charles Barkley accused the NBA of favoring Amazon Prime over TNT in negotiating a new TV deal with the association. The Hall of Fame forward and longtime broadcaster blasted the TV new deal with Amazon on social media.
“Clearly the NBA has wanted to break up with us from the beginning. I'm not sure TNT ever had a chance,” Barkley said in a statement on Instagram. “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,” Barkley added. “The NBA didn’t want to piss them off. It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over the fans. It just sucks.”
The NBA on TNT returns for its final season on October 22.
