Former NBA player Jamal Crawford is resigning from his position as an analyst at TNT Sports, as reported by Brendon Kleen of Awful Announcing.
Sources suggest that Warner Bros. Discovery extended an offer for Crawford to return for what appears to be its final season broadcasting NBA matches. The network missed the opportunity to be part of the NBA’s new media rights deal, with ESPN/ABC, NBC, and Amazon Prime taking the reins starting with the 2025-26 season. At present, Warner Bros. Discovery/TNT is engaged in legal proceedings with the NBA to retain its broadcasting rights, although many are skeptical about its chances of success.
Crawford collaborated with Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller in TNT’s premier broadcast team. He partners with NBA insider Chris Haynes as one of the key personalities in TNT broadcasts who are allegedly exiting the network, with further exits expected shortly.
“Warner Bros. Discovery proposed Crawford a chance to return for what is probably going to be TNT’s final season showcasing the NBA, according to insiders; however, Crawford chose to seek alternative paths amid a major shift in NBA broadcasting ahead of a new rights agreement commencing in 2025,” Kleen stated.
At the age of 44, Crawford participated in the NBA from 2000 to 2020 and is celebrated as one of the finest sixth men in league history. He was selected as the No. 8 overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft and has earned the Sixth Man of the Year award thrice.
Crawford was initially picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers but subsequently played for numerous teams including the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets, representing nearly a third of the league’s franchises.
Over his career, he recorded averages of 14.6 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.2 rebounds across 1,327 games.
“Earlier this year, TNT initiated legal action against the NBA after it could not match the broadcasting bids from Amazon and NBC, signaling the end of an era for the NBA on TNT,” Kleen observed. “Nonetheless, this situation may allow analysts like Crawford to select from a range of opportunities across the new networks, including ESPN, which has renewed its contract with the NBA, as well as several emerging digital media startups.”
