Charles Barkley says he plans to work 2 more years on ESPN and TNT before he retires: 'The best I can do'
Charles Barkley will have a new home next season. He — along with everyone over at "Inside the NBA" — will head to ESPN after the network acquired the rights to the program from Warner Bros. Discovery in November.
Barkley spoke about that move during a Monday appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show," saying he'll give ESPN and TNT two years before he calls it quits.
"I actually have 7 years left on my contract…I'm gonna be a good soldier for Kenny, Ernie, and Shaq, and the people I work with…But the best I can do is 2 years."
– Charles Barkley on the move to ESPN
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Barkley confirmed he signed a new contract with TNT last week. It took both sides two months to reach a deal. While that contract has seven years left on it, Barkley said he made it clear he was willing to work only two years before he calls it a career.
"I said I would work for two more years and that's what I agreed to … I actually have seven years left on my contract. Yeah, there's no way I'm working seven years. I'm going to be a good soldier for Kenny, Ernie and Shaq and the people I work with … but the best I can do is two years."
It's not the first time Barkley has talked about retirement. The 62-year-old claimed last June that he would retire following the 2024-25 season. Two months later, he changed course, saying he was committed to TNT.
While "Inside the NBA" will air on ESPN, TNT will still independently produce the show. Barkley said he was worried about his workload with both networks, and told Patrick he would "walk on home" if he feels overworked in the new arrangement.
It's unclear whether anything will change with the show moving over to ESPN. "Inside the NBA" is regarded as the best NBA studio show around, which is why ESPN wanted its rights. While it's assumed the network wouldn't mess with a good situation, even Barkley admitted he wasn't sure what next year will bring. "Nobody knows what's going to happen," he said. "What are we going to do?"
Stability should help ensure the program remains as entertaining as ever … at least for the next two seasons. At that point, "Inside the NBA" could be looking to fill a massive void if Barkley goes through with his retirement this time around.
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