Charles Barkley Says He Doesn't Want to Work Hard When Asked About Possibly Moving To ESPN

Charles Barkley wants everyone to know that at the age of 61, he's put in his hard work and isn't interested in servicing the smorgasbord of ESPN offerings if he were to move to the self-proclaimed "world-wide leader".

"ESPN Radio, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes. I mean, HELL NO! As much as I love ESPN, I just turned 61. The notion that I’m going to be working like a dog into my mid-60s, that’s definitely not going to happen," Barkley recently told Jimmy Traina on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast.

Barkley's comments come as the long-running TNT's Inside the NBA, is coming to an end at the end of next season due to the network's NBA media rights agreement expiring. Instead, basketball fans will have to turn to ESPN, Amazon and the return of the NBA on NBC beginning at the start of the 2025-2026 season for all future pro-hoops games.

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‘INSIDE THE NBA’ STARS WILL HAVE MASSIVE LEVERAGE

As I previously wrote, Barkley and Shaq in particular may be in high demand and will also have negotiating leverage as they come off one of the more entertaining shows in sports. 

They are going to ask for money, a lot of it - and that's something that Amazon has. Sure, ESPN hasn't shied away from paying Pat McAfee a five-year, $85 million contract, as well as spending big money on the Manning brothers. It recently signed Jason Kelce with rumors that Bill Belichick may join the network as well. So as our Bobby Burack wrote, don't rule out Sir Charles going to ESPN. 

SO WHY WOULDN'T BARKLEY GO TO ESPN? HE DOESN'T NEED TO

This is Charles Barkley we're talking about - as his recent SI interview comments suggest - he doesn't have to, nor does he want to work more than he has to. 

Whereas Stephen A. Smith is essentially the face of ESPN right now and especially its basketball coverage. Pat McAfee is the network's golden boy and is already being utilized a lot. Barkley just made clear he doesn't want to do that. And will ESPN be willing to spend big bucks just to have Charles do pre- and post-NBA coverage and not much else? Maybe, but Dinesy/ESPN aren't rolling in dough like they used to be.

BARKLEY IS 61-YEARS-OLD AND ULTIMATELY WILL DO WHAT HE WANTS

Charles Barkely won't come cheap to anyone, including ESPN.  So it would want to get its money's worth and have Barkley out there enough that his salary makes sense. He is a content machine and universally liked by nearly everyone not named Michael Jordan.  

This may be posturing by Barkley, It probably is.  He could be letting ESPN know that if it does want him, he still expects to play golf, go to Vegas, have time with his family, and do whatever else Charles Barkley wants to do. 

After all, if you ask Barkley - he's earned it!