Shaquille O’Neal was conspicuously missing from the Inside the NBA set during the pivotal Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Game 7 battle.

NBA star Vince Carter filled in for him unexpectedly, along with Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson, and Charles Barkley. Shaq did not attend the show and provided no explanation for his absence.

Shaq was replaced for the pregame show by Vince Carter, a part-time commentator for Brooklyn Nets games who has appeared on NBA on TNT on several occasions.

Fans were curious about Shaq’s location even with Carter present. Regarding Shaq’s return to Inside the NBA for the Conference Finals, nothing is known.

Despite suffering numerous injuries, the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 4-1 in their NBA playoff series. After defeating the Knicks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, the Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals where they will take on the Celtics.

The Timberwolves surprised the reigning champion Nuggets in seven games to route to the conference finals, while the Mavericks overcame the Thunder in six games in the Western Conference. The Western Conference Finals will feature a match between the Mavericks and Timberwolves.

O’Neal’s abrupt withdrawal raised questions about TNT’s future relationship with the NBA and may have indicated contractual issues.

Longtime Inside the NBA analyst for TNT Charles Barkley voiced his worries about the network’s future on an ESPN Chicago radio program. Speaking about TNT’s ongoing negotiations for the NBA’s next TV rights deal, Barkley said he is “100%” concerned about them.

NBC and TNT Sports are currently vying for the last portion of this agreement, while ESPN/ABC and Amazon Prime Video have already signed contracts that are anticipated to run for at least ten years. The NBA and TNT have an existing contract that will end following the 2024–2025 season.

Barkley, who has been a part of Inside the NBA since 2000, acknowledged that the crew is unsure of what is ahead when asked about the show’s future. “We could end up losing it.

I’m really sorry for my coworkers. Barkley told Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle of ESPN Chicago, “It’s brutal.” “Everyone is utterly terrified.”

Since its 1989 premiere, Inside the NBA has been a mainstay of NBA TV coverage. Shaquille O’Neal entered the studio in 2011, and Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and O’Neal have been with them ever since. Smith joined the show in 1998, but Johnson has been hosting it since 1990.

NBA games have been televised by TNT Sports for almost forty years. A conference final is anticipated to be included in any new agreement for TNT or NBC every other year, as opposed to TNT’s present schedule of every season.

It is also expected that both networks will keep the annual coverage of the All-Star Game, which is reportedly asking for $2.5 billion a season.

Barkley thinks there’s a “50-50” chance TNT will lose to NBC for their portion of the media rights contract, but he still thinks TNT’s long-standing relationship with the NBA will help them. “You would think we would get the benefit of the doubt in a bidding war if it was close, but that’s obviously not happening,” he remarked.