Ron Harper Jr. has finally been converted from a two-way contract to a standard deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania, on Saturday, reported that the Boston Celtics had officially signed Harper Jr. on a two-year contract.
The Boston Celtics are signing two-way wing Ron Harper Jr. to a new two-year deal, agent Drew Gross of WME Basketball tells ESPN. Harper has played a key Celtics rotation role at times this season while spending time starring for their Maine G League affiliate. pic.twitter.com/3g44oay1Ql
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2026
The move shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Harper Jr. has played extremely well for a two-way player. Any time his number has been called, he’s given the Celtics solid minutes.
Through 26 appearances for Boston this year, the 25-year-old has averaged 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game on 39.8% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc. Those numbers are slightly deceiving, though. Harper Jr. has delivered whenever he’s seen extended run. Not only in counting stats, but he’s impressed defensively, too.
His two longest shifts came against the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. He spent time guarding Kevin Durant and Victory Wembanyama in those respective outings, including some crucial late-game possessions in Boston’s tight loss to the Spurs.
“Trust doesn't just come from what you do in the games,” Mazzulla said of his trust in the fourth-year guard back in February. “You know, it comes from what you do in workouts. It comes from what you do in the film session. It comes from what you in Maine. It comes what you do on an optional day. If you're working one on one with your coach, like trust happens in so many ways.”
What's next for the Celtics?
An official deal just felt like a formality leading up to this point.
It’s been understood for months that the team planned to lock down Harper Jr., but had to wait to do so as part of a larger part of salary cap gymnastics. The Celtics have been signing players like John Tonje, Dalano Banton, and most recently Charles Bassey to 10-day contracts, over the last two months, in order to meet the required minimum roster size of 14.
Had they signed Harper Jr., any sooner, the prorated contract still would’ve brought them back above the luxury tax, which they dove beneath at February’s trade deadline when they traded Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, Chris Boucher, and Xavier Tillman Sr. in a series of cost-cutting moves.
Their signing of Harper Jr. brings their total to 14, once again. Though they’ve met the minimum, the Celtics can still bring on another player, perhaps Bassey, who just saw his second 10-day stint come to a close, without jumping back above the tax.