Charles Barkley names 2 trillion-dollar competitors who could secure NBA's TV rights from ESPN and Turner: "So much damn money, they might just"

Before landing a new contract, Charles Barkley regularly discussed retiring from his role on "Inside the NBA." That said, the NBA legend recently discussed that could keep him around longer.

Alongside Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley has been part of an award-winning program. Along with providing in-depth NBA analysis, the crew has had countless memorable moments.

At this point, guys like Johnson and Barkley have been doing it for over 20 years now. This has led to them finally having thoughts about stepping away. However, the booming business might leave them no choice but to stay.

While on the "SI Media" podcast, Barkley talked about the possibility of him and Johnson stepping away in the coming years. He also touched on two networks who possibly buy the show and pay them a hefty sum to keep them on screen.

"So like I say it's going to be very interesting the next couple of years because nobody knows," Barkley said. "Amazon and Apple got so much damn money. They might just outbid ESPN and Turner."

How long has Charles Barkley been with TNT?

Before he got into broadcasting, Charles Barkley had a Hall of Fame career in the NBA. He was drafted fifth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, and went on to become an 11-time All-Star and MVP with the Phoenix Suns.

Barkley's playing days came to an end with the Houston Rockets. After the 1999-2000 season, he called it a career in the league. In that same year, he inked a deal with TNT to become an on-air analyst.

Over the past 20+ years, Barkley has become a staple on "Inside the NBA." Along with spouting his takes on today's game, he's constantly butting heads with co-host Shaquille O'Neal.

After being in the game for this long, Barkley is nearing the end of his run. While discussing the idea of Johnson leaving, he stated that he himself only has about two more years left in him. Even with these thoughts, Barkley inked a 10-year deal with the network last summer.

While disucssing the logistics of his deal on the podcast, Barkley opened up on his journey as an analyst. He admits figuring out when to walk away is tough, and he's amazed that he's been able to do it for this long.

"The one thing you don't want to do is stay too long," Barkley said. "What's interesting is I can't believe I've been doing this sh*t for 23 years. That's what's crazy."