LOS ANGELES — Bronny James signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the Lakers on Wednesday, a league supply instructed ESPN, reaching his rookie deal on the identical day LeBron James agreed to an extension with the staff and ensured the primary father-son duo in NBA historical past will play for the purple and gold subsequent season.

Bronny James’ contract begins at $1,157,143 in 2024-25 and progresses to $1,955,377 the next 12 months, $2,296,271 in 2026-27 and $2,486,955 for a staff possibility in 2027-28, sources instructed ESPN.

The Lakers introduced Wednesday that that they had signed Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, the No. 17 decide on this 12 months’s draft, with out disclosing phrases.

James averaged 4.8 factors on 36.6% capturing (26.7% from 3), 2.8 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists in 19.3 minutes at USC after present process a coronary heart process final summer season. He mentioned the almost five-month layoff due to the medical subject affected his growth.

Lakers vp of basketball operations and basic supervisor Rob Pelinka praised James’ mindset and potential as a point-of-attack defender, and new Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned James, whom Los Angeles chosen with the No. 55 decide final week, will probably be a prime precedence with the staff’s revamped participant growth program.

“We view Bronny as [a] Case Examine One as a result of [of] his base degree of really feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, capturing, passing,” Redick mentioned. “There’s lots to love about his recreation, and as we construct out our participant growth program holistically, he’ll have a terrific alternative to develop into a superb NBA participant.”

James and Knecht will make their summer season league debuts Saturday in San Francisco towards the Sacramento Kings within the California Basic.

The Lakers’ roster now stands at 15, the utmost variety of gamers an NBA staff can carry.