While Charles Barkley appears to be staying put at TNT, another member of the “Inside the NBA” dream team may soon be up for grabs.
Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post reported this week that industry sources believe Shaquille O’Neal has an opt-out clause in his contract with TNT for if the network ends up losing their rights to the NBA. That could possibly set up O’Neal to become a highly-coveted free agent after TNT’s current media rights deal expires in 2025.
Barkley, O’Neal’s TNT co-host, revealed during an interview back in May that he has a similar opt-out clause of his own in his contract at the network. However, Barkley subsequently put an end to the speculation over his future by announcing earlier this month that he is staying at TNT for the long run.
The NBA recently announced a new 11-year media rights deal with Amazon for the 2025-26 season and beyond. But TNT’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is now suing the NBA on the grounds that they have the rights to match any such bid from a competitor. With the matter still in litigation, the ultimate fate of TNT’s rights to the NBA after the 2024-25 season remains unknown.
As for O’Neal, he has been at TNT ever since retiring as a player in 2011 and remains one of the game’s most well-known and beloved figures. While it is possible that TNT’s “Inside the NBA” could continue in a different iteration (without or without the rights to the NBA) O’Neal’s contract with TNT may open up the potential of a high-profile departure come 2025.
