The painful downsizing at ESPN is unfortunately not over by a long shot. While he likely won’t be part of today’s layoffs, NBA analyst Vince Carter could be leaving ESPN this summer, sources told Front Office Sports.
Once ESPN finishes Friday’s stunning layoff of talents such as Jeff Van Gundy, it will closely examine the rest of its long-term talent deals.
In a separate exercise that could take as long as 12 months, ESPN management will examine which long long-term talent contracts it wants to keep – and which it will let expire for cost-cutting reasons.
The 46-year-old Carter’s contract is up in September, said sources. He probably won’t be offered a new deal after three years at ESPN.
Carter fits the bill of the type of on-air talents ESPN is looking to part ways with, said sources.
He an expensive big name – but not on the air that much. Plus, he works remotely most of the time. So he can’t take “ownership” of studio shows such as “NBA Today” or “First Take.”
Front Office Sports previously broke the news that ESPN would not extend the contracts of NFL analyst Rob Ninkovich, 23-year “SportsCenter” anchor Neil Everett and NHL analyst Chris Chelios.
On Friday, ESPN indicated it wants to move in a different direction hoops-wise by letting go of NBA game analyst Jeff Van Gundy, NBA analyst Jalen Rose and men’s college basketball analyst LaPhonso Ellis.
Nicknamed “Vinsanity,” Carter was the first NBA player to play 22 seasons. He joined ESPN as an NBA and men’s college basketball analyst in September, 2020.
ESPN declined to comment.
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