Charles Barkley sends clear message to Adam Silver

It’s not exactly a secret that Charles Barkley isn’t thrilled with how the NBA media rights turned out. His network, Turner, will be without the rights to the league following the 2024-25 NBA season. The 61-year-old Barkley has held steadfast to his retirement announcement, but he’s also been critical of Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA, for that matter.

Barkley claimed that the NBA had always wanted to break up with TNT and then took aim at his employer for filing a lawsuit against the league. While he’s tripled down on his retirement after the season, Barkley told Dan Patrick that “everything is on the table,” as he’s had conversations with Amazon, ESPN, and NBC.

Regardless of how he feels about how everything transpired, Barkley still wanted to deliver some praise. Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Monday, Barkley was asked by Justin Termine, who co-hosts NBA Today with Eddie Johnson, if he’s spoken with commissioner Adam Silver in the fallout.

“I have not. I’m gonna reach out to him at some point,” admitted Barkley. “Because you know I love Adam Silver. I think he’s fantastic. But also, I understand he works for the owners and the players. And, hey, this is a great deal for the owners and the players. Do I think this is the best thing for the fans? No, I do not. But, I hate when people go off on commissioners in sports…Their No. 1 job is the owners. They work for the owners. Their second job is to work for the players.

“And, hey, regardless of what happened with Turner, whatever, he did a great job for these players. And for the next 11 years, they’re going to make more money than they could ever spend. I hope they use it the right way, in their communities and their families, and things like that. But Adam, I got a lot of respect for Adam.”

Barkley’s future remains uncertain, with retirement still on the table. As the NBA landscape shifts dramatically, it remains to be seen if the always-outspoken analyst will remain a key figure in the evolving media landscape. His relationship with the league, particularly with Silver, will be something to watch in the coming months and years.

[ SiriusXM NBA Radio ]

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