Charles Barkley Says He’s Retiring Alongside Ernie Johnson After Next NBA Season

With just six weeks remaining until the start of a new NBA season, Charles Barkley has declared this will be his final year with the popular ESPN show "Inside the NBA." Barkley made the announcement during a recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, stating, "Me and Ernie are a package deal," indicating that Ernie Johnson will also be retiring alongside him.

Johnson, who is 70 years old, had not previously announced his retirement plans. Barkley explained that he agreed to return to the show until the end of the season to ensure a smooth transition to the ESPN era and to help keep the show's long-time staff members employed. Barkley has previously made retirement announcements each offseason, often as a tactic to negotiate a new contract.

In previous years, he publically stated he would retire at 60, only to return the following year. The decision to stay on with "Inside the NBA" came after Barkley learned ESPN had acquired the rights to the show, but TNT Sports lost its broadcast rights to NBA games. Barkley was offered a contract by NBC with a substantial increase, but ultimately decided to stay with TNT due to the possibility of a new deal.

If Johnson does retire after this season, it could be a natural progression for Barkley and the show, as they would no longer be the central figures. However, many questions remain about the future of "Inside the NBA" and its relationship with ESPN. The show's future could be impacted by potential changes in ownership within Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as the network's desire to incorporate more of its own programming.