Stephen A. Smith claims TNT ‘fumbled’ on Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Inside the NBA crew

TNT waited too long to match the bid of Amazon Prime.

Stephen A. Smith claims TNT ‘fumbled’ on Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Inside the NBA crew

Stephen A. Smith claims TNT 'fumbled' on Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Inside the NBA crew

The basketball world is about to enter the final season when Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson will entertain fans with their banter-filled analysis. The Inside the NBA crew will run their last campaign as TNT and its parent company Warner Bros Discovery’s bid was rejected. However, knowing that Amazon Prime was taking over, Stephen A. Smith had something to say about this situation.

The longtime analyst picked up this discussion on The Stephen A. Smith Show. After reading through the statements made by the league, he chimed in.

TNT dropped the ball here. It started years ago when it alluded to how unimportant the NBA was. And the resistance that they gave in reaching a new deal. According to my sources, Adam Silver talked to the honchos at WBD. Before a deal was agreed upon weeks ago. Basically, letting them know 'Hey, you need to match'. And there was a bunch of hemming and hawing. That's why Barkley's been going off. It never had to come to this.
Stephen A. Smith said

Essentially slamming the corporation for taking too long to show interest in the NBA. After all, they had the right to match any offer in order to keep the deal in their hands.

Instead, as Stephen A. Smith mentioned, the top brass of Warner Bros Discovery never had any interest in continuing with the NBA. To the extent that they showed no urgency to use their exclusive rights contract to negotiate and sign a new deal.

Now as a last-ditch effort, TNT matched the offer Amazon Prime put forward. However, the NBA knew all too well that it was just a smokescreen in front of fans and the media and rejected their offer. Smith called them out for not showing interest.

Stephen A. Smith again asked ESPN to hire Inside the NBA crew

In the same episode of his show, the 56-year-old analyst took the occasion to ask his employer ESPN and other networks to hire the quartet of Inside the NBA. 

Anybody who can get their hands on Barkley, Shaq, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson should do it. Even if its ESPN. Yes, I cover the NBA. But those brothers are phenomenal. They are a treasure and a tribute to the league itself. So hopefully somehow someway, there will be platform available to them.
Stephen A. Smith added

That is him again asking his employer to go after the quartet. Despite knowing that he is the lead NBA analyst on the network, this would bring direct competition. He suggested that Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson bring something that the league and the fans identify with. Therefore, he wants ESPN to rethink their stance of not wanting to hire them.

Stephen A. Smith wants the four of them to continue entertaining the fans of the sport. The league and its fans need them and vice e versa. There is still a year to see how all of this unfolds and where the quartet lands.

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