Celtics signing son of 6-foot-5 ex-Lakers guard, five-time NBA champion to help Jayson Tatum
Celtics signing son of 6-foot-5 ex-Lakers guard, five-time NBA champion to help Jayson Tatum originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the 2025-26 season concluding on June 13, NBA franchises have been busy making cost-cutting/franchise-elevating trades and/or beneficial free agent signings.
The Boston Celtics are among those organizations, as they are signing the 6-foot-5 son of an ex-Los Angeles Lakers guard and four-time NBA champion to assist Jayson Tatum in 2026-27.
“Boston Celtics G/F Ron Harper Jr. intends to sign a new three-year, $9 million deal to return to the franchise,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Saturday. “The Celtics are declining Harper’s $2.6M team option, clearing the way for the sides to commit on a longer deal.”
“Harper has gone from a training camp deal last offseason to making the Celtics roster on a two-way contract to a deal conversion at the end of the season, and now a multiyear guarantee. The Celtics and Harper’s agent, Drew Gross of WME Basketball, worked through the deal Saturday.”
Harper experienced his share of hardships when he began his NBA career. Following a standout collegiate career at Rutgers, Harper declared for the 2022 NBA Draft but failed to get selected in the first or second round.
Although the 26-year-old guard joined the Toronto Raptors after going undrafted, he only appeared in 10 contests with the franchise in two seasons before being waived. Harper signed a deal with the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2024-25 campaign, but, again, he lasted less than 15 contests (he was active for only one game).
Things took a positive turn for the Paterson, New Jersey native this past season, as he received his biggest NBA opportunity yet with the championship-contending Celtics.
Harper contributed 4.2 points per game while shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.0% from beyond the arc in 29 contests.
Given that Boston is bringing the former third-team All-Big Ten member for another season, it’s safe to assume they liked what they saw last year.
More NBA news:
