Charles Barkley is blocking Warner Bros. Discovery’s drive to the net.

The basketball legend added a new wrinkle to Warner’s ongoing efforts to retain media rights to the NBA late Friday evening by announcing he would retire from his announcing duties on “Inside the NBA,” the influential TNT program he has co-hosted for years.

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“I have made the decision myself,” Barkley said. “No matter what happens, next year is going to be my last year on television.”

Barkley said he would not move to another network, no matter how the NBA decides to parcel out a new package of rights it has largely negotiated with NBCUniversal, Disney and Amazon. Warner Bros. Discovery’s contract to show NBA games expires after the 2024-2025 season. Warner is hoping to carve out a small fourth package of games, but that bid is seen as unlikely. Warner is also examining its right to try and match the bids put forth by some of the others involved in the bidding, according to people familiar with the matter.

More to come…

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