The Boston Celtics know they won’t be contending for a championship next season with Jayson Tatum on the shelf and after trading away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Plus, Al Horford looks to be as good as gone.
Instead, the Celtics are focusing on shrewdly adding pieces for the future. Let’s face it: assuming Tatum makes a full recovery and is back on the floor for the 2026-27 campaign, Boston will surely be in the mix once again, so right now, it’s about restocking the roster for a couple of years down the line.
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Well, the C’s took a step in doing that on Saturday, signing forward Ron Harper Jr., via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The son of Chicago Bulls legend Ron Harper, Harper has played for the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons over the first three seasons of his NBA career. His playing time has been limited, as he has only appeared in 11 games throughout that span, averaging 2.2 points a night, but he seems to have potential.
Harper enjoyed an impressive collegiate career at Rutgers, spending four years with the Scarlet Knights between 2018-19 and 2021-22. Throughout his time with Rutgers, Harper posted 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 43.9/34.0/74.1 shooting splits.
Much like his father, Harper is a very solid defender, and at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds with decent athleticism, he possesses the ability to guard multiple positions.
The 25-year-old’s most notable campaign with the Scarlet Knights came during his final seasons, when he registered 15.8 points, 5.9 boards and one steal over 34.3 minutes per game while shooting 44.2 percent from the floor, 39.8 percent from three-point range and 79.5 percent from the free-throw line.
With the Celtics lacking proven depth on the wing behind Jaylen Brown, Harper actually may have a legitimate chance of making Boston’s roster and even potentially earning some playing time next season.
His father played 15 years in the NBA between 1986 and 2001. While he spent time with four different teams, he is most known for his run with the Bulls from 1994 through 1999, when he helped Michael Jordan win three straight championships. Harper also won a couple of more titles with the Los Angeles Lakers to conclude his NBA career.
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The elder Harper recorded 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game throughout his professional tenure.
Meanwhile, the younger Harper is simply looking to find his footing on the NBA level, and landing with the Celtics at the perfect time could provide him with the opportunity to do just that, and with a marquee franchise, no less.
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