CHARLES Barkley has opened the door to joining another broadcaster despite announcing his plans to retire.
The basketball great has been highly critical of the NBA’s 11-year rights deal with Amazon, NBCUniversal and Disney-ESPN.
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Warner Bros.’ TNT Discovery was left without a package despite a last-gasp bid – leaving Barkley and Inside the NBA facing an uncertain future.
Barkley criticized the league for preferring money over fans, but admitted he spoke with all three broadcasters.
“Everything is on the table,” he told Dan Patrick.
“They will have to guarantee the full ten years or they will have to ask me to accept a salary reduction, which under no circumstances means a salary reduction. No chance of me taking a pay cut.
“I’ve spoken – in the last three months – I’ve spoken to every network. I would be stupid not to answer their call.”
Patrick asked if Inside the NBA could move its entire team to a new network.
“Well, first of all, you’d have to ask Ernie (Johnson) that,” Barkley added.
“Because Ernie would probably never leave Turner. But, Dan, it’s all at stake.”
Barkley, 61, has a 10-year contract worth $210 million and says he is in no rush to make a decision since TNT still has one season left.
His conversation with Patrick came after he took to social media to criticize the NBA.
“It’s clear the NBA wanted to break up with us from the start,” he wrote.
“I’m not sure TNT ever had a chance. TNT matched the money, but the league knows that Amazon and these tech companies are the only ones willing to pay for the rights when they double in the future. The NBA didn’t want to piss them off.
“It’s a sad day when owners and commissioners choose money over fans. It’s just shit.
“I just want to thank everyone who has been at Turner over the last 24 years.
“They are the best and most talented people and they deserve better.
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“I also want to thank the NBA and its fans – the best fans in sports. We’re going to give you everything we’ve got next season.”
Barkley expanded on his views with Patrick.
“What I really think happened was that because they brought in another partner, this was a last ditch attempt to make money for the NBA and the players,” he said.
“That’s why I think they signed an 11-year deal, like, ‘Hey, let’s get as much money as we can now. This will be our last bite at the apple because TNT, ABC/ESPN, they are not going to pay any more money moving forward.
“That’s why I think they say, ‘Let’s go to bed with streaming,’ because they’re going to be the only people who can pay us in 11 years. That’s just my honest opinion.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
