5 things (NHL!) Charles Barkley can still do with TNT when Inside the NBA leaves the network

Here are some ideas for what might be next for Barkley and crew

To absolutely no one’s surprise, it looks like Charles Barkley is actually isn’t going to retire like he said he was.

Barkley was clearly frustrated with how TNT’s negotiations with the NBA were going. For months, he addressed his concerns about the future of the partnership both on and off the record. His telling us that he was retiring felt like something between a lash-out in frustration about the situation and a shrewd negotiating tactic.

But, the reality is he was almost certainly never going to leave. Barkley is just two years into 10-year, $210 million deal with TNT and is one of the highest paid media personalities in sports. He’s not going anywhere.

So, if he’s sticking around, what will Barkley do on TNT without the NBA?

There are a few good answers already out there. Let’s dig into them.

Increase his college basketball presence

Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Barkley has always been a fixture in TNT’s college basketball coverage for March Madness.

Sure, his brackets are usually terrible and he’s always rooting for Auburn. But he also still gives that very blunt analysis that everyone loves. He can do that a bit more with the college basketball team when the fall comes around, even if the NBA isn’t around anymore.

Do a bit of hockey

TNT has a presence in hockey now with NHL games broadcasting on its network on Wednesdays.

Charles Barkley seems to have a blast talking about hockey. Here he is talking to the TNT crew about the Stanley Cup final. It’s pretty good!

I don’t know if he can do this all the time, but I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing a bit more of it.

Let him talk about Golf

Like the NHL, I wouldn’t say Charles Barkley is a golf aficionado by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn’t want to hear him on The Masters main broadcast or anything of that nature.

But when TNT does special events like “The Match” it’d be great to hear Barkley bringing a bit of levity to the broadcast and having a good time.

Plus, we’d talk about his golf swing some more. He’s gotten pretty good, hasn’t he?

Have him work with Bleacher Report

I know Charles Barkley doesn’t have any social media, but man, this would be a fantastic opportunity to get him involved in a bit more social content.

Getting Barkley’s instant reactions to NBA moves on the B/R app would be a bit of a change of pace from what we’re used to. It might not even be as good. But I’m still eager to see how it’d work.

Let him have a late-night sports show with the Inside the NBA crew

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Think of a fusion between Sportscenter and The Tonight Show. That’s something Turner could do to maximize having Barkley on its roster.

He’s tailormade for late-night TV, isn’t he? Obviously, you need a sports hook to the show. But Barkley has so many opinions about so many other things and he’s never afraid to share them no matter what others might think.

We know Barkley can talk about sports, but he’s also done political commentary. He did a show with Gayle King for a bit that didn’t really work out as well as some thought it might. TNT also gave Barkley a show on race relations in America back in 2017. The company is willing to try different angles with Charles.

The thing is, I don’t even think the show needs to be that serious. Just take the Inside the NBA crew, sit them down on a set and let them cook for an hour or so on primetime NBA nights. They’ll talk about basketball, obviously, but the conversation might spill elsewhere, too. It could be funny at times. It could be serious for others. That’s the beauty of that show. That’s why it works.

TNT should do everything it can to keep it going, and I think this would be a good way to ensure that.