More light has been shined on Charles Barkley and what could possibly be the biggest sports media story of the month.
On Monday’s episode of The Dan Patrick Show, Barkley shared his thoughts on a potential deal to join the controversial LIV Golf organization. Put together with money from the Public Investment Fund from the Saudi Arabian government, LIV Golf has been the home to several prominent PGA Tour golfers who defected for more money and fewer events.
When asked how the past week has been for the former NBA All-Star, Barkley said it’s been “very stressful. It’s been tough. It’s been hard.”
Barkley met with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman to discuss joining the upstart league as a television broadcaster. When Norman asked if Barkley was interested, he replied “of course I’m interested. I wouldn’t have had dinner with you if I wasn’t interested.”
Currently, Barkley works as an analyst on TNT’s wildly popular Inside The NBA and said it would be a difficult job to leave.
“I love TNT. I love Ernie (Johnson), Kenny (Smith), and Shaq (O’Neal) but if they (LIV Golf) do something crazy, I have to listen. I can’t get on here and say it’s not about the money. Of course it’s about the money. Everyone is working for money. Guys are getting between $150-$200 million, I’d be stupid not to listen to those offers.”
When Patrick asked what a “crazy” offer would be, Barkley wasn’t definitive on what that specific number would be but knew several factors would have to be considered.
“They know how much money I make. I have 3 more years left on my TNT deal. I’m probably gonna lose all my commercials. If I lose my TNT gig, that would hurt me a lot” Barkley said.
TNT has yet to comment publicly on the courtship, and Barkley says he hasn’t heard from them, either.
“We have not had any conversations (Barkley and TNT). To be honest with you, Dan, they’ve been very quiet. Everything is really speculation right now. Unless they come to me with something crazy, I’m not leaving TNT. I love TNT.”
“What’s crazy?”, Patrick asked again.
“Considering how much I make now, it’s gonna take something crazy for me to give up my life…I don’t like talking about how much money I make,” Barkley sheepishly said.
“Let’s say you make $20 million between endorsements and TNT. Maybe that’s high,” Patrick replied.
“I’ll tell you right now that it’s not,” Barkley bragged.
“Let’s come back and say they’ll triple it?”, Patrick asked.
“If they triple it…the next time I come on your show the first question should be ‘hey Charles where’s the party tonight? Where are we celebrating?”, Barkley said.
Barkley told Patrick he has put an internal deadline of Thursday when he’ll play in the LIV Golf Pro-Am at Trump National Golf Club in Somerset County, New Jersey.
“When I leave the golf course Thursday night, I better have an offer in hand,” Barkley said.