Charles Barkley Reportedly Might Leave TNT If He Joins LIV Golf
Charles Barkley's days on TNT could be nearing an end if he joins LIV Golf.
The former NBA superstar is the face of "Inside the NBA" on TNT, but everything could change if he decides to work with LIV, according to Dan Patrick.
"What I was told this morning, Charles knows he might have to leave TNT. That would be bad for everybody ... If Charles Barkley were to leave TNT and go to the LIV Tour, that's a big deal. That's not growing the game. Now, you're taking away from the NBA with this. This has nothing to do with golf, per-say," Patrick said when discussing Barkley potentially landing with the Saudi-backed organization.
In Patrick's segment, it's asked why Barkley would have to leave his NBA job. The answer is pretty obvious.
People are treating LIV Golf like a pariah and players in the organization have lost sponsorships. Pretty crazy when you consider President Joe Biden literally fist-bumped Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud just a few days ago.
It's pretty hard to square the idea that athletes should be shunned for taking Saudi cash, but President Biden can fist-pump the Crown Prince like it's no big deal!
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - JULY 15: US President Joe Biden (L) being welcomed by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022. (Photo by Royal Court of Saudi Arabia / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Nobody should act surprise if TNT decides to push Barkley away for taking the bag from LIV Golf. Of course, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't point out the NBA's ties to China.
The NBA doesn't eat breakfast in the morning without asking the CCP for permission first. Does China have a great record on human rights? Not at all! It's atrocious. Yet, the NBA has no problem taking that cash!
American corporations bow down to China. However, we must shun anyone associated with Saudi Arabia! Where is the consistency? If you're outraged about Saudi Arabia, you should be outraged about China as well!
STATELINE, NV - JULY 09: Sports analyst Charles Barkley talks to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department about their efforts before teeing off Round Two of the 2022 American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on July 9, 2022 in Stateline, Nevada. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Clarkson Creative/Getty Images)
As for Barkley, he'll have to ultimately make his own decision, but it would be a devastating blow to "Inside the NBA" if he dips. I have no idea how it would ever recover.