Charles Barkley tells TNT bosses 'fire us' and threatens to walk out on Inside the NBA set

Charles Barkley brought his trademark humour to the impending conclusion of 'Inside The NBA' on Thursday, jesting about being sacked from TNT's acclaimed show.

As TNT's broadcast agreement with the NBA is in its twilight and ESPN, Amazon, and NBC poised to take over next season, the much-loved 'Inside The NBA' faces its swansong at the end of this current season.

The programme, boasting a star-studded panel including Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, has won the hearts of fans but now braces for its final bow. Barkley has openly criticised TNT for their handling of the NBA rights negotiations.

Following victories by the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, the show wrapped up.

Barkley and Smith shared some banter about heading out of the studio early, hinting at TNT's waning grip as their broadcast rights wind down.

"[It's] 12:29 a.m. We're walking out of here at 1 a.m. What [are] they gonna do? Fire us? " Barkley quipped, sparking laughter among his peers.

Smith retorted, "You're getting closer and closer," while Johnson added, "Closer and closer to that line. You're going to unwittingly just cross that line one of these nights."

Smith swiftly countered, "What do you mean unwittingly? He's been crossing [the line] all summer," highlighting Barkley's pointed remarks towards the network over its failure to clinch extended broadcast rights for the league.

Previously in June, during the NBA Finals, Barkley had declared his intention to retire from broadcasting following the 2024/25 season, expressing dissatisfaction with how the situation unfolded.

Yet, in an unexpected turn of events, Barkley retracted his resolution in August, announcing his commitment to honour the remaining term of his TNT contract, whether it should involve basketball coverage or not. His contract is set to last until 2032.

In a heartfelt statement, Barkley noted, "I love my TNT Sports family," and articulated: "My No. 1 priority has been and always will be our people and keeping everyone together for as long as possible.

"We have the most amazing people, and they are the best at what they do. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with them both on the shows we currently have and new ones we develop together in the future. This is the only place for me.

"I have to say, I've been impressed by the leadership team who is fighting hard and have been aggressive in adding new properties to TNT Sports, which I am very excited about. I appreciate them and all of my colleagues for their continued support, and most importantly our fans.

"I'm going to give my all as we keep them entertained for years to come."