Albert's current contract with Turner takes him through the '20-21 NBA seasonNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Turner officials have "discussed replacing" TNT's Marv Albert as their "No. 1 play-by-player" after this NBA season, according to sources cited by Andrew Marchand of the N.Y. POST. Albert’s contract "gives Turner the right to decide yearly whether to keep Albert on its top NBA events, the conference finals and the All-Star Game." While Turner execs have begun "developing a plan forward, they want to be respectful to Albert’s place in sports broadcasting history." All sides "stressed that no final decisions have been made." If Albert were "no longer Turner’s No. 1," he still would be "able to broadcast games in the final two years of his contract," which runs through the '20-21 season. Sources said that Brian Anderson is "considered the current front-runner to replace Albert" for '19-20. Anderson is the net’s "lead play-by-player on the MLB playoffs," but he is "not closely associated with the NBA, having never been a team’s regular play-by-player and having only worked a limited number of national games." If Turner were to "anoint Anderson, it would be bypassing Kevin Harlan, who has been the network’s longtime No. 2" play-by-play broadcaster (NYPOST.com, 11/13).
