Don't Rule Out Charles Barkley and 'Inside the NBA' Going to ESPN | Bobby Burack

Next season could be the final year for "Inside the NBA," the universally acclaimed, Emmy-award-winning studio program on TNT. The NBA is close to completing rights deals with Disney, Amazon, and Comcast – leaving TNT parent company Warner Bros. Discovery out of the mix. 

Granted, the deals are not yet finalized and reports say TNT could reportedly threaten legal action over a much-disputed matching clause. 

Nonetheless, "Inside the NBA" star Charles Barkley is already planning -- and speaking about – life after TNT. 

Barkley, who can opt out of his contract with TNT should the network lose the NBA, recently told Dan Patrick that he has discussed with co-analysts Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith the possibility of reconstituting the show at his own production company.

"I have my own production company, I would love to do that if [TNT] loses [NBA rights]," Barkley said. "But I have definitely had — actually somebody suggested that to me, to be honest with you, on the internet — ‘so why doesn’t Charles Barkley sign these three guys, four guys total, to his production company and sell it?’ I’m like, ‘That’s a great idea.'"

Barkley could air the show digitally or license the product to an NBA partner. Fans of the show and media reports have already discussed what a reconstructed version of the show would look like on NBC or Amazon, both of which will need to create studio programming if they acquire the NBA.

However, sources within the industry tell OutKick not to rule out ESPN/ABC. 

While ESPN is in cost-cutting mode – see the 20 to 30 talent layoffs last June – chairman Jimmy Pitaro has always made exceptions for ready-made, big-name stars. 

Despite laying off 20 to 30 talents last June, Pitaro turned around and signed Pat