BRONNY James is not your typical second-round NBA pick.
The 19-year-old son of LeBron James is reportedly signing a guaranteed four-year, $7.9 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers after being selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
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That’s considerably more money than last year’s No. 55 pick, Indiana Pacers guard Isaiah Wong, received.
Wong, 23, signed a one-year contract with the Pacers following the 2023 draft.
It was a bilateral agreement that, according to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), is worth half the minimum amount for newcomers.
That means the former Miami Hurricanes standout received a salary of $559,782 – 14 times less than Bronny’s.
What’s more, only half of that amount was originally guaranteed, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.
Wong had to keep his spot on the Indiana roster until Jan. 10 to make sure he got the other half — which he did.
The New Jersey native’s two-way status came with other significant restrictions.
He was only able to play 50 games in the NBA, spending the rest of the season with the Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants.
Wong was also ineligible to play in the postseason.
The 6-foot-1 point guard played primarily for the Mad Ants last season, averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 30 games.
However, he scored four minutes into the Pacers’ regular season matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on April 1, making his first NBA basket.
Wong also spent a garbage minute on the court late in the 123-109 loss to the Lakers in the inaugural In-Season Tournament championship game in December.
Bronny’s contract includes a team option for the 2027-28 season, per AtléticoShams Charania.
That means Los Angeles — or whichever team he’ll be on in the summer of 2027 — could decide to part ways with James Jr. before the start of the campaign, which would cost him around $2.5 million.
Highest contracts in NBA history
- Jayson TatumCeltics – 5 years, $314 million
- Jaylen BrownCeltics – 5 years, $285.4 million
- Nikola JokicNuggets – 5 years, $276.1 million
- Bradley BealSuns – 5 years, $251 million (signed with Washington)
- Antonio EduardoTimberwolves – 5 years, US$244.6 million
Tyrese HaliburtonPacers – 5 years, $244.6 million
Per Spotrac
Lakers coach JJ Redick said the franchise is not doing the former University of Southern California star any favors.
“To steal [Pelinka, the Lakers general manager] and I didn’t give Bronny anything,” Redick said during Bronny and 17th overall pick Dalton Knecht’s introductory press conference on Tuesday.
“Bronny earned this. Bronny earned this through hard work.”
Meanwhile, LeBron is said to have agreed to a two-year, $104 million maximum contract extension.
The four-time NBA champion did not take a pay cut, as recent reports claimed.
The deal includes a player option for a second season, meaning LeBron could return to free agency next summer.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
