### Charles Barkley Criticizes TNT's Future Plans for 'Inside the NBA' Despite ESPN Agreement

Former NBA star Charles Barkley has not held back his criticism of TNT's plans for the future of "Inside the NBA." During a recent appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Barkley expressed his displeasure with a pilot episode that was filmed about a month ago, describing it in no uncertain terms as "the stupidest s---" he has ever seen.

Though "Inside the NBA" is slated to run on ESPN from next season after the network licensed the show following TNT’s loss of NBA rights, Barkley reassured fans that he and his co-hosts will also continue to appear on TNT. However, he conveyed uncertainty about how this arrangement will pan out in practice.

"I don't know exactly what the arrangement will look like," Barkley admitted. He revealed that TNT is attempting to innovate behind the scenes but is skeptical of the network's efforts. "We taped a pilot about a month ago and it was the stupidest s--- ever," he reiterated.

Barkley clarified that "Inside the NBA" would probably be on ESPN only about half to one-third of the time as speculated by fans. This limited coverage on ESPN seems to have pushed TNT to explore alternate ideas, which, according to Barkley, are flawed. A significant challenge for TNT's version of the show will be the absence of NBA highlights, given the network's loss of NBA broadcasting rights.

"They're trying to do something stupid at TNT. Which is a stupid idea for a couple of reasons," said Barkley. "Number one, we won't have basketball highlights. But also, we're probably gonna be going up against an NBA game. And anybody who likes basketball, they ain't gonna say, 'Hey, you know what? Let me turn off an NBA game on Amazon, ESPN or NBC to go watch these four dudes sit around and talk about nothing.'"

Despite his harsh words, Barkley acknowledged that TNT admitted the pilot was underwhelming. The network’s desperation to get value from employing Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal is evident. However, the feasibility of running a successful show devoid of NBA highlights remains questionable.

The exact details of how the arrangement will be executed remain vague, and Barkley’s forthright remarks add to the ongoing drama surrounding "Inside the NBA’s" future. As plans for the 2025-26 season unfold, the fate of this iconic postgame show continues to hang in the balance.