Although the NBA has released a preseason and season schedule, many remain skeptical that the owners and players will come to an agreement in time to make the season?s Nov. 1 start date.
Count Hall of Famer Charles Barkley among them.
In a recent interview with XX Sports Radio in San Diego, Barkley, a TNT analyst, said he believes the entire 2011-12 season will be canceled. He also expressed doubts about Kobe Bryant?s willingness to travel abroad because of monetary and health risks.
?I don?t think they?re gonna play at all this year,? Barkley told the XX Sports Radio. ?I feel bad to be honest with you, I feel bad for the people who work for the teams and the people who work for the arenas. The players and the owners are going to be fine because it?s gonna get settled at some point. The NBA has already laid off 100 people, so it?s gonna get ugly, real ugly.?
Barkley has also seen varied reports about Bryant traveling to China or Turkey. He said Bryant, who signed a three-year contract extension worth nearly $90 million that keeps him in LA through 2013-14, is unlikely to jeopardize the money remaining on his contract.
?No I don?t think Kobe Bryant is going to Turkey. Kobe Bryant, I want to get my numbers right, but I think he has three years and 83 million dollars, so could you imagine him going to Turkey or China for a couple of million dollars and blowing an Achilles or knee out? When you have 83 million dollars coming in the next three years, first of all you should already be financially set, but that?s too much to risk. You can?t risk that money playing overseas.?
According to an ESPNLosAngeles story, Bryant could make $89.6 million in the next three seasons, broken down to $27.4 million in 2011-12, $30.2 million in 2012-13 and $32 million in his last year, when he would be 35 years old.
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