Charles Barkley has cast doubt on whether he’ll remain with Inside the NBA when the show shifts to ESPN next season. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, Barkley shared that he’s exploring other opportunities, including possible roles with NBC or Amazon.

“I haven’t decided yet. I’m listening to NBC, Amazon. I want to know everything that’s on the table for me before I sign in,” Barkley said in his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show. “I love those guys at ESPN and if we end up there, I’m gonna do the best I possibly can. First of all, they haven’t even given us any type of schedule, whatsoever. But I’d be doing myself a disservice not to meet with NBC, which I have. And meet with Amazon, which I have. And the number one thing I’ve told everybody, ‘Can y’all give me a damn schedule?’”

For months, Charles Barkley has been vocal about Warner Bros. Discovery losing the NBA rights for TNT and has consistently expressed his hope for Inside the NBA to stay intact. However, his recent silence regarding the show's transition to ESPN next season raises questions. It now seems Barkley’s uncertainty stems from not being sure if he wants to make the move to ESPN himself.

Charles Barkley's hesitation on joining ESPN

NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

“I love ESPN, I got nothing against them, but I want to know how much I’m going to be working…They’re not gonna work Charles like no damn dog,” remarked the NBA legend.

Barkley elaborated on his hesitation about joining ESPN, sharing his reasons for uncertainty about becoming part of their lineup.

“I got nothing but love and respect for ESPN, but I’m taking my time with NBA and Amazon. I want it in writing. How much do y’all think I’m gonna work…I want to know what they’re expecting. Are we gonna have the same schedule? Or are we gonna have to do ABC, ESPN and TNT? Because TNT, I think they originally wanted to keep doing something. So I’m not gonna be doing both,” Barkley continued.

These are two intriguing revelations. First, Barkley’s hesitance to commit to ESPN, even after the network secured the rights to license Inside the NBA from TNT, raises questions about his future.

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Second, Barkley’s belief that TNT “wanted to keep doing something” suggests the network may have aimed to preserve a version of Inside the NBA despite losing NBA broadcasting rights next season.

Barkley’s uncertainty about how ESPN plans to use him or the show next season suggests this isn’t just a ploy for a better deal—it seems like key details remain unresolved.

More uncertainties for Inside the NBA

Adding to the uncertainty, Shaquille O’Neal reportedly doesn’t have a contract in place for the upcoming move to ESPN either. Fans of the NBA want the show’s iconic lineup to remain intact, and Barkley himself has previously expressed a similar sentiment. While the licensing agreement with ESPN initially seemed like a way to preserve the show’s core, Barkley’s comments today cast doubt on whether that will actually happen.

Barkley stars alongside Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson Jr. on Inside the NBA, a TNT staple since its debut in 1989. In November, it was revealed that the show would move to ESPN and ABC through a partnership involving TNT Sports and the NBA.

This agreement followed a settlement between Warner Bros. Discovery—the parent company of TNT Sports—and the NBA. The settlement came after the league declined Warner Bros. Discovery’s matching bid for one of the packages in its new 11-year media rights deal, prompting the company to file a lawsuit.

Barkley joined Inside the NBA in 2000 and has since become one of its most recognizable figures, earning multiple Sports Emmy Awards during his tenure.

In 2022, Barkley reportedly inked a 10-year, $210 million contract extension with Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of TNT, to continue his role as an analyst on Inside the NBA. Time will tell if he decides to walk away from that agreement.