The Nets have signed one-year NBA veteran Justin Harper, the team announced via press release. Harper was the 32nd overall pick in the 2011 draft, but this is his first contract since the Magic waived him at the end of the 2012 preseason. The power forward is the 20th player with whom the Nets have either a verbal agreement or a signed contract, as our roster count shows, though only 12 of them have fully guaranteed pacts. His addition presumably means Brooklyn is done with offseason additions, since the preseason roster limit is 20.
Harper, 26, spent this past season with Sidigas Avellino in Italy’s top division, averaging 12.6 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27.2 minutes per game. He’s also played in Israel, France and the D-League during his pro career, one in which he’s scored 20 points in 84 total NBA minutes. Harper has been a frequent presence at summer league over the years, appearing on both the Suns and Pistons summer squads this July and notching 5.4 PPG in 12.5 MPG across 11 contests.
The competition for the final spots on Brooklyn’s 15-man regular season roster holds intrigue. Five players have partially guaranteed deals with the team, while veteran swingman Dahntay Jones and undrafted rookie Yanick Moreira are reportedly coming to camp without any guaranteed money. The level of guarantee in Harper’s contract isn’t immediately clear.
Assuming the Nets start the regular season with 15 players, who do you think will land the last three open spots? Leave a comment to let us know.