When Bronny James signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on the same day his legendary father penned his contract extension, you would’ve known it wouldn’t have been as lucrative. A $104 million deal to keep LeBron James in LA for another 2 seasons. Yeah, there was no way even Rich Paul’s persistence could’ve gotten Bronny a deal this big. But did you know the contract Bronny got fell a couple of million short of matching fellow second-round pick Tyler Kolek’s deal, too?

Yes, Bronny James wasn’t the only second-round pick this year who secured a massive paycheck. When LeBron’s eldest son declared for the draft, critics were quick to raise doubts about Bronny’s NBA potential. But did that hinder the rookie? Seems not, as he bagged a massive paycheck to start his career. Solidifying his future in the league, Rob Pelinka & Co. agreed to sign the former USC guard on a 4-year $7.9 million contract. Maybe some of it had to do with Rich Paul’s push to get Bronny a guaranteed contract.

As for Tyler Kolek, he was drafted at No. 34 by the Portland Trail Blazers and was immediately traded to the Knicks for 3 future second-round picks. Making the most out of the situation, Kolek created history by reportedly signing a record-breaking 4-year $9.06 million contract, joining forces with the recently-stacked roster. With a team option for his fourth year, Kolek set a new record with the most guaranteed money for a second-round pick at $6.6 million!

Bagging the historic contract, Kolek broke the previous record held by 2022’s No. 31 pick, Andrew Nembhard, who had $6.4 million guaranteed money in his first contract. It’s important to note that Kolek’s contract is the maximum the team can offer him, considering he’s a second-round pick under the second-round exception.

On the other hand, Bronny has only $4.3 million guaranteed in his contract. This is because in his final year, he will have a $2.48 million club option, and even his 3rd-year salary is 45% non-guaranteed, leaving him with $2.3 million less than Kolek’s huge deal. But Bronny seems to have no issues with this gap since Rich Paul hasn’t let him settle for a two-way contract.

Before the NBA draft, Paul was clear with his agenda. “Yes, that’s absolutely true. Teams know that. I’m not doing that,” shutting the two-way contract topic instantly. It would mean a lower paycheck for LeBron James’ eldest son and the risk of not making it to the senior team at all. So, in reality, Bronny James’ $7.9 million package from the Lakers is great, considering he only played one year in college and wasn’t even a top prospect for various reasons.

That said, his contract was quite significant compared to last year’s No. 55 pick. Isaiah Wong was drafted by the Indiana Pacers and signed a two-way contract with the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League worth $559,782. However, under the new CBA rules, it only partially guaranteed whether or not Wong would get a regular-season roster spot. The rookie played just four minutes last season against the Brooklyn Nets, scoring 2 points.

In comparison, Bronny James’ deal isn’t a two-way contract, and JJ Redick seems to have a plan for the youngster. “For us prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as like Case Study 1 because his base level of feel, athleticism, point of attack defender, shooting, passing… there’s a lot to like about his game. And as we build out our player development program holistically, he’s going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player,” the new head coach said in the introductory presser.

Well, a possible selling point for Bronny James’ gameplay is his shooting. During the Draft Combine in May, he put on a top act, crushing the drill with a 19/25 record from deep range. However, amidst a huge nepotism wave after the 19-year-old was drafted, “With Bronny, I just wanted to clarify one thing, which is Rob [Pelinka] and I did not give Brony anything. Bronny has earned this right. Bronny talks about his hard work [and] has earned this through hard work,” Redick clarified.

So, the Lakers hierarchy seems confident that LeBron James’ son will eventually be destined for success. However, let’s not take the focus away from Tyler Kolek’s four-year mega deal. That brings to mind one question.

Why did the Knicks offer Tyler Kolek such a huge paycheck?

With Kolek’s ability to create history, the first question that pops into everyone’s mind is, ‘Is he worth it?’ You thought of the same thing, didn’t you? But despite all the aura behind earning those big bucks, here’s an honest stat line, and don’t let the numbers fool you. Even though Kolek was picked in the second round, many believe he had the potential to be a first-round selection easily.

Having spent four years in college, including three at Marquette, he is among the best in his draft class. And he proved successful with an average of 7.7 assists last season. Kolek is also an elite scorer with a 15-point average in his final NCAA season, alongside 38.8% shooting from deep range. He was also the Big East Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season. Maybe, just maybe, his 6’3” undersized frame could be the reason he fell so low in the draft. But he manages to cover it up with his versatile skill set, making him worthy of his guaranteed deal.

He fits like a glove in the Knicks’ roster since he can be a future backup for Jalen Brunson. His and Brunson’s frames are similar, plus Kolek plays with his left hand, just like him. There’s definitely much to learn from in that Knicks roster. With Mikal Bridges walking into the franchise just days ago, joining forces with familiar Villanova boys, the NY side could be a serious contender to the Celtics in the East. So, all in all, it’s a win-win for both him and the Knicks.

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