LOS ANGELES — Bronny James signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the Lakers on Wednesday, a league source told ESPN. This rookie deal coincided with LeBron James agreeing to an extension, marking the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history for the purple and gold next season.

Bronny James’ contract starts at $1,157,143 for 2024-25 and increases to $1,955,377 the following year, $2,296,271 in 2026-27, and $2,486,955 for a team option in 2027-28, according to sources.

The Lakers also announced the signing of Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, the No. 17 pick in this year’s draft, without disclosing terms.

Bronny averaged 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting (26.7% from 3), 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes at USC after undergoing a heart procedure last summer. He mentioned that the nearly five-month layoff due to the medical issue impacted his development.

Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka praised Bronny’s mindset and potential as a point-of-attack defender. New Lakers coach JJ Redick emphasized that Bronny, selected with the No. 55 pick last week, will be a top priority in the team’s revamped player development program.

“We view Bronny as Case Study One because of his feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defense, shooting, and passing,” Redick said. “There’s a lot to like about his game, and with our holistic player development program, he has a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.”

Bronny and Knecht will make their summer league debuts Saturday in San Francisco against the Sacramento Kings in the California Classic.

With these signings, the Lakers’ roster now stands at 15 players, the maximum allowed during the regular season.