Bronny James Stays With Lakers After LeBron's Exit, Enters Third Year on $2.29 Million Salary

At Media Day on Sept. 28 (local time), Bronny James said, "I'm trying to prove myself as Bronny, not as LeBron." His father left for the 76ers, and the son stayed in Los Angeles.

Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.

Three-Line Summary

At Media Day on Sept. 28, Bronny James said he is trying to prove himself as Bronny, not as LeBron.
LeBron signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers in July, while Bronny stays with the Lakers and enters his third year.
Bronny averaged 2.9 points in 42 games last season. His salary this season is $2,296,271.

Lakers Media Day, Sept. 28, 2026 (local time). The questions directed at Bronny James centered on his father, LeBron, who left for Philadelphia. He was composed. One number makes this scene look different. The contract the 41-year-old father signed with the 76ers in July is two years, $8 million. The 21-year-old son's four-year rookie contract is worth about $7.9 million.

Bronny James's original remarks, two sentences from Media Day on Sept. 28

Hoops Wire reported that Bronny said, "I'm trying to prove myself as Bronny, not as LeBron," calling it his daily motivation. The phrase "has to prove" often used in headlines is a paraphrase.

He also addressed how he took LeBron's move. According to AP, he said the same day, "My father has his path, and I have mine." He also voiced hope that the younger roster can feed off each other's energy and play fast.

LeBron Moves to Philadelphia, Ending Father-Son Run After 2 Seasons

LeBron signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in July 2026. According to ESPN, it is a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option. The two played two seasons together with the Lakers.

It would be an overreach to read this as Bronny taking over his father's spot or as a confirmed starting role. AP reported that Bronny is still in the process of securing a regular rotation spot. He said he wants to grow his role in getting teammates involved on offense and disrupting opponents on defense.

Bronny James's Stats: 42 Games, 2.9 Points, and the Rotation Question

In the 2025-26 regular season, Bronny played 42 games (1 start), averaging 8.9 minutes and scoring 2.9 points. That is 0.6 points (26%) more than his rookie-season average of 2.3 points in 27 games. He was the 55th overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Season	Team	Games	Points	Rebounds	Assists
2023-24	USC (college)	25	4.8	2.8	2.1
2024-25	Lakers (rookie)	27	2.3	0.7	0.8
2025-26	Lakers	42	2.9	0.5	1.2

The question is whether his numbers justify more playing time. His games played rose 1.6 times, from 27 to 42. His 3-point shooting of 38.6% and a 39-point game in the G League support an expanded role. The numbers on the other side are just as clear. His average of 8.9 minutes is less than a single quarter (12 minutes), and he started only 1 of his 42 games.

Bronny James's $2.29 Million Salary and the 2027-28 Team Option

NBC Sports reported in July 2024 that his rookie contract is four years and $7,895,796 in total. His salary this season is $2,296,271 (as of Sept. 30, 2026, per SalarySwish). The remaining two seasons combined, including the option, total $4,783,266, about 60% of his father's two-year contract.

Season	Amount (USD)	Status	Source
2026-27	2,296,271	Spotrac lists 55%; SalarySwish lists as fully guaranteed	SalarySwish, Spotrac
2027-28	2,486,995	Team option, not yet decided	SalarySwish
4-year total	7,895,796	Includes option; not officially announced by the team	SalarySwish, NBC Sports

Neither the rotation spot nor whether the team will exercise the 2027-28 option has been decided. The option amount differs by $40 between the ESPN report and aggregator sites. Some sites list last season's appearances as 50 games, but it has not been confirmed whether that includes the playoffs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Until when does Bronny James's contract run?

It is a four-year contract running from the 2024-25 season through the 2027-28 season. The final season, 2027-28, is a team option ($2,486,995, per SalarySwish), and it has not yet been decided whether the option will be exercised.

Q. How old is Bronny James?

He was born on Oct. 6, 2004, and is currently 21 years old. He turns 22 on Oct. 6, 2026.

Q. Is Bronny James still with the Lakers after LeBron's move?

Yes. LeBron moved to the Philadelphia 76ers in July 2026, and Bronny is staying with the Lakers and preparing for his third season.

Related Official Sites

Los Angeles Lakers official website — team schedule and roster news
NBA official stats for Bronny James — check season-by-season averages
NBA G League official stats for Bronny James — check G League appearances

Representative image · Archive photo · Not an on-site photo of the current game in the article · Photo composite · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Rick Meyer, Los Angeles Times), CC BY 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Erik Drost), CC BY 4.0 · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Joe Kennedy, Los Angeles Times), CC BY 4.0