In his second stint with the Boston Celtics, Ron Harper Jr. enjoyed a breakout season. It started with earning the team's final two-way roster spot. And with his shoulder healthy, an injury that hampered him during his first go-around with the organization, he showcased what he's capable of.
Harper fit in seamlessly when he got his opportunities with the parent club. He brought sharpshooting and defensive versatility. Offensively, he also served as a connective tissue who could make plays with his passing.
That led to him finishing the year on a standard contract that included a $2.6 million team option. Now, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Celtics will decline that so they can sign him to a new three-year, $9 million deal.
Ron Harper Jr.'s role with the Celtics
It's amazing to see how the former Rutgers standout has reinvented himself in the NBA. At the collegiate level, he was a power forward. Now, he has worked tirelessly to transform his body. That has allowed him to evolve into a dynamic wing.
Joe Mazzulla can plug Harper into the lineup as a member of the backcourt or at the 3 or the 4 spot. He can trust him with the ball in his hand, as a secondary playmaker, and to knock down shots off the catch.
In 29 regular-season tilts in the campaign that just concluded, the fourth-year wing averaged 4.2 points and converted on 35 percent of the 2.8 threes he hoisted. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but they came in 11 minutes of floor time.
He put 22 points on the board and knocked down 6/9 shots from behind the arc in a March contest against the San Antonio Spurs. After Jaylen Brown got ejected from the matchup, Harper stepped up in his 33 minutes on the court.
In the regular-season finale, he generated 27 points in a thrilling win over the Orlando Magic. Boston was resting most of its top rotation players. TD Garden's visitors were fighting for the chance to host a game in the play-in tournament. Yet Harper and Co. found a way to prevail.
Defensively, the six-foot-five wing, who has nearly a seven-foot-two wingspan, can capably guard 1-4. His dynamicism and high IQ are why he draws comparisons to Derrick White. Both are smart, incredibly versatile players. Like when the latter arrived at the trade deadline in 2022, Harper fit in fast, quickly earning his team's trust.
He even drew a start in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was simultaneously a great opportunity and a tough spot to get thrown into. However, it's still a building block for Harper this summer. And now he can focus on sharpening his craft with peace of mind about his contract.
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