Charles Barkley won't accept NBC offer, will cancel future meetings with Amazon
Charles Barkley: ‘I want to talk about my future because there's been a lot of stuff going on about my future, and I want to make everything perfectly clear. I'm informing NBC that I will not accept their offer, I'm gonna cancel my future meetings with Amazon. I want to thank NBC especially Mark Lazarus and Greg Hugh for offering me a contract. I want to thank the guys at Amazon, y'all been amazing, but my heart is always and will be at Turner Sports. The only thing I'm waiting on right now between TNT and ESPN, I met with ESPN those guys were amazing. I want to thank you guys for taking the time and I just met with the TNT people. I'm hoping that this thing comes together and I can stay with TNT and ESPN but as I've said it's all going to be dictated on my workload. I'm not going to work more as I get older. I'm gonna sit down with ESPN and TNT more because I just need to know if I'm going to continue working, and that's my only decision going forward, how much I'm going to work. I just want to thank everybody who's been a part of this, TNT theme man you guys are amazing and I love you to death, and I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving here because 25 years it's a long time.
Source: YouTube
What's the buzz on Twitter?
As someone whose childhood was deeply scarred by the Charles Barkley trade, I legitimately feel bad for Mavs fans. The kind of nonsense will haunt you for decades.
But Barkley wasn't 25, wasn't coming off of a Finals run, and he wanted out. This is unprecedented. - 10:42 AM
More on this storyline
Get Up: Charles Barkley floats the idea of LeBron James playing for the Warriors or Spurs 🍿 "Those are two places I could see would be fascinating." -via x.com / February 3, 2025
In an appearance on NBATV Sunday, Barkley predicted that Doncic and LeBron James might struggle to coexist on the Lakers, at least initially. Barkley pointed to the fact that Doncic and James are both ball-dominant players as a potential issue, and predicted “growing pains” for the Lakers’ new duo. “This thing is not going to be smooth in L.A. with (Doncic) and LeBron, because both of them want the ball 100 percent of the time,” Barkley said. “Luka does not move without the ball. LeBron does not move without the ball. There’s going to be some serious growing pains when those two try to play together. Now, they’re both great players, don’t get me wrong, but LeBron wants the ball, and Luka definitely wants the ball. It’s going to be very interesting how that works out.” -via Larry Brown Sports / February 2, 2025
Behind the scenes, the news didn’t stop Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley from talking to NBC and Amazon, according to people familiar with the matter. O’Neal’s contract has an out clause that allowed him to leave TNT if Warner Bros. Discovery didn’t retain NBA rights. Smith’s clause was more open to interpretation, the people said. Barkley’s contract doesn’t have the same flexibility, said the people, though it hasn’t stopped him from musing about his future. But, rest assured NBA fans, O’Neal and Smith are coming back. Both are on the verge of re-signing with TNT Sports, CNBC has learned. O’Neal will sign a five-year contract. Smith will ink a multiyear deal, as well. A Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson declined to comment. -via link.cnbc.com / January 23, 2025
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Charles Barkley won't accept NBC offer, will cancel future meetings with Amazon
