Ron Harper Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Walker, Claxton, Hart, Raptors

October 27th, 2024 at 4:17pm CST by Luke Adams

The Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate, officially announced their training camp roster this weekend ahead of the 2024/25 NBAGL season. The roster features several players who were in camp with the NBA team earlier this month, including Ron Harper Jr., Jay Scrubb, Tristan Enaruna, and Dmytro Skapintsev.

However, there’s one notable absence among the players waived by the Celtics during the preseason: Lonnie Walker.

Walker’s contract with Boston included a $77.5K Exhibit 10 bonus that he could earn by spending at least 60 days with Maine, and he said in September that he was “perfectly fine” with the idea of playing in the G League. But it appears as if he’s still weighing his choices.

While playing in the G League may be the most logical path back to the NBA for Walker, there are other options available to him this season. The veteran wing was rumored last week to be drawing interest from Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets center Nic Claxton, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury during the preseason, has come off the bench in the first two games of the regular season and has been on a strict minutes limit, logging 15 minutes on Wednesday and 20 on Friday. That limit will increase again on Sunday, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. As Lewis writes in a full story, it sounds like head coach Jordi Fernandez will only reinsert Claxton into the starting five once he’s been cleared for a starter’s workload. “Obviously, you can be creative. But if you go to starter minutes, then it’s somewhere around low 30s, because I think if you do more, health is an issue,” Fernandez said. “But for me, starters usually play starting at 24 all the way to 33-34, that range.”
Josh Hart struggled to find his fit in the Knicks‘ new-look starting five during the preseason, but those frustrations haven’t carried over to the regular season, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. After scoring 20 points on Friday in the team’s first win of the season, Hart made light of his preseason comment about feeling “lost” on offense. “I was just having fun with y’all, man,” he told reporters. “I knew I was going to be solid. It was preseason. I have a good feel for everybody. I think we’re all really getting into a rhythm offensively and, more importantly, defensively — playing with each other, seeing where everyone likes the ball and those kind of things. I’m good.”
A lawsuit filed by ex-Clippers strength and conditioning coach Randy Shelton against his former team opens an old wound for Raptors fans, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. The suit alleges the Clippers conducted an extensive recruitment of Leonard during his time in Toronto that “leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution” and included sending then-assistant GM Mark Hughes to about 75% of the Raptors’ games in 2018/19. Leonard, whose desire to play in Southern California was widely known, left Toronto for L.A. in 2019 immediately after winning a title with the Raptors.

Celtics Waive Jay Scrubb, Ron Harper Jr., Hason Ward

October 17th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics have waived Jay Scrubb, Ron Harper Jr. and Hason Ward, according to the NBA’s official transaction log. All three players were signed to non-guaranteed contracts.

Because their deals included Exhibit 10 language, Scrubb, Harper and Ward are each eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine.

Scrubb has three years of NBA experience with the Clippers and Magic. The 55th pick in the 2020 draft, he spent the first two years of his career on a two-way deal with Los Angeles, then then played in the G League for the Magic’s affiliate in 2022/23, impressing enough to earn a two-way deal in March of that year.

Last summer, he signed a two-way contract with the Celtics but suffered an ACL injury that sidelined him for the season. Upon completion of his rehab process, he rejoined the C’s on a training camp deal in October. Scrubb still has two-way eligibility, but fresh off the injury and with all three of Boston’s two-way deals filled, he’ll open the year in the G League.

Scrubb is a player to monitor. Still only 24 years old, he averaged 22.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game across two G League seasons. He could be someone the Celtics revisit again down the line once their roster opens up a bit more. Another team is free to sign or claim him if they so choose.

Harper is in a similar position to Scrubb. Though he went undrafted in 2022, he was signed to a two-way deal shortly after the draft by the Raptors. Like Scrubb, he didn’t play much at the NBA level, seeing more extensive action in the G League.

Harper only appeared in six games in the G League last year, but he averaged 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks in his last healthy season in 2022/23. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after playing in just one NBA game in ’23/24 and was waived by the Raptors in December of last year.

As they did with Scrubb, the Celtics offered Harper an Exhibit 10 contract and chance to compete for a roster spot now that he’s healthy. He made three preseason appearances with the Celtics and will be a player to watch down the line at 24 years old.

The Celtics signed Ward to an Exhibit 10 deal on Wednesday in a move designed to have him suit up for Maine this season. As we noted in our original story, Ward is a 6’9″ forward who helped Iowa State to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season. He averaged 6.0 PPG and 3.8 RPG.

Boston theoretically could stand pat before the regular season begins. They’re at 18 players under contract. However, the Celtics still have a decision to make on potential 15th man Lonnie Walker IV, who has averaged 7.3 PPG in just 16.4 MPG in the preseason. While the Celtics do have room on the regular season roster for Walker, he’d cost exponentially more than his minimum salary due to the team’s position well over the tax line. We should get some clarity on what the Celtics plan to do by the unofficial cut-down day on Saturday.

Celtics Notes: White, Brown, Harper Jr., Olympics

July 27th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Derrick White had to alter his summer vacation plans when he got an offer to join the U.S. Olympic team in the wake of Kawhi Leonard‘s injury, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Instead of traveling to Cabo San Lucas, White and his family are spending two weeks in Paris, but he won’t get to relax until he’s done trying to win a gold medal.

“I just had to change plans really quickly. I was super excited,” White said about the invitation. “Once I got that call, I changed my focus. It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Along with Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday, White will be trying to pull off the rare accomplishment of winning an NBA title and Olympic gold just a few weeks apart. In between those feats, he signed a four-year, $125.9MM extension that will keep him under contract through the 2028/29 season.

“I’m excited,” White said. “I wanted to stay in Boston and was able to get it done early, so I don’t have to think about it or talk about it too much. I’m just excited to be in Boston for as long as possible.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

White confirmed to Himmelsbach that Jaylen Brown called him to explain social media comments he made about not being considered for a spot in the Olympics. Brown said he’s happy for White, but he was expressing his frustrations over the selection process. “Jaylen gave me a call and I was like, ‘Yeah, you didn’t need to call me. I know we’re good,’” White said. “He gave me a call and said he just wanted to clear things up and I told him we’re all good. Never any problem or issue with us, for sure. He’s a hell of a player and I’ve never had a bad thing to say about JB.”
Ron Harper Jr. is hoping to make a strong impression on the Celtics after signing a non-guaranteed training camp deal earlier this month, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Harper appeared in 10 total games on a two-way contract with Toronto before being waived in December following a season-ending shoulder injury. “I was feeling real good before the injury,” he said. “I was going through some shoulder stuff and ended up tearing my labrum, having surgery in December and wasn’t really cleared to play until June. I’m still trying to get into the flow of things. It’s been a long process. It’s the longest time I’ve ever gone without playing basketball since I started hooping. To get back into the flow is real important but I feel like I’m doing a good job.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla will have to be careful not to overextend his three Olympians, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Tatum, Holiday and White had little time to rest after the NBA Finals ended, and they’ll only have a few weeks off between the conclusion of the Olympics and the start of training camp. Robb expects Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard to take on larger roles early in the season.

Celtics Notes: Brissett, Hauser, Scrubb, Summer League

July 20th, 2024 at 8:28am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics find themselves with 14 players signed to their standard roster, with almost every player from their title run under contract for next year. Oshae Brissett is one of just two players from last year’s roster without a deal for the upcoming season, as MassLive’s Brian Robb observes.

“We have to be mindful of the last roster spot what our needs might be,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said. “Oshae had a terrific year with us, not only when he got the opportunity on the court as a teammate and as a person and obviously, in his shoes, there might be a desire to play more. I always want to be respectful of that.”

Brissett declined his player option for next season ahead of free agency, but he may be looking for a minimum deal with a chance to play more elsewhere, Robb writes. Boston kept their 15th spot open for much of last season before ultimately converting Neemias Queta to a standard deal at the end of the year. The Celtics could opt to fill that spot earlier if an injury pops up, and Robb speculates that the door will remain open for Brissett if he doesn’t like his other options on the market. Robb does not expect Svi Mykhailiuk — the only other unsigned player from last year’s title run — to be back.

“We’ll see how the next few months play themselves with regard to people’s availability,” Stevens said. “Obviously Kristaps is going to have a long rehab process ahead of him and we have to determine what’s the best need for our team in that 15th spot.”

We have more from the Celtics:

In a MassLive.com mailbag, Robb explores the contract status of Sam Hauser. Because the market dried up quickly this offseason, talented players like Gary Trent Jr. and Caleb Martin received less than expected. Given the unpredictability of free agency, it might make sense for the Celtics and Hauser to agree to an extension approaching the value of the mid-level exception, Robb suggests.
The Celtics signed Jay Scrubb to a two-way contract last year but he suffered an ACL tear in the offseason and was cut before the season began. According to Robb, while nothing is done at this point, there is mutual interest between the Celtics and Scrubb in a reunion this offseason. Boston has Drew Peterson and JD Davison on two-way contracts, and Anton Watson (No. 54 overall pick in 2024) seems likely to sign to a two-way deal, so the pathway to earning one again may be difficult for Scrubb. However, Scrubb averaged 22.8 points per game in the G League in 2022/23 and could earn a roster spot later in the season if he proves himself again.
Boston’s rookies have impressed in summer league but second-year wing Jordan Walsh has struggled with his shot, MassLive’s Souichi Terada writes. Outside of the Celtics’ draftees, Ron Harper Jr. and Jaelen House were standouts this summer. The C’s already agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Harper.

Ron Harper Jr. Signs Camp Contract with Celtics

July 14th, 2024 at 12:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The reigning champion Celtics are taking a flier on free agent combo forward Ron Harper Jr., having signed the former Raptors two-way player to a non-guaranteed training camp deal, per Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link).

After going undrafted out of Rutgers in 2022, the 6’4″ wing signed a two-way deal with Toronto, appearing in nine games during his rookie season. He agreed to a second two-way deal for 2023/24, as well, but was waived last December after appearing in just one contest for the Raptors.

All told, the 24-year-old has played in 10 NBA contests thus far, averaging 2.0 points on 50% field goal shooting, plus 0.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists a night.

He had a far more prolific role with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate. Harper averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per night on .501/.366/.776 shooting.

Harper evidently impressed Boston enough with his play on the team’s Summer League roster this month to earn a more extended look.

Ron Harper Jr. Out For Season, Waived By Raptors

December 8th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors have waived swingman Ron Harper Jr., who was on a two-way contract with the team, the club announced today in a press release.

Harper, who also spent the 2022/23 season on a two-way deal with Toronto, suffered a subluxation of his left shoulder during a G League game on Thursday. He’ll undergo season-ending surgery to address the injury, according to the Raptors.

The son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, Ron Jr. appeared in just 10 total NBA games for the Raptors, including one this season, scoring 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting in 52 total minutes of action. He spent the majority of his time since going undrafted out of Rutgers in 2022 playing for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.

In 49 total Showcase Cup and regular season games with the 905, Harper averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 32.3 minutes per night. His shooting line at the G League level was .486/.327/.773.

As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca confirms (via Twitter), Harper will receive his full two-way salary of $559,782, even though he was waived prior to the salary guarantee date. A player who is injured while on a non-guaranteed contract (that doesn’t feature an Exhibit 9 clause) continues to be paid until he’s healthy or until the end of the season, whichever comes first.

The Raptors will now have an open two-way slot — Markquis Nowell and Javon Freeman-Liberty are their other two-way players.

Raptors Re-Sign Ron Harper Jr. To Two-Way Deal

July 21st, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

JULY 21: Harper’s two-way contract is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

JULY 20: The Raptors are re-signing free agent power forward Ron Harper Jr. to his second two-way contract with the team, his Roc Nation agent Drew Gross informs Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Harper initially joined the Raptors on a two-way deal last summer after going undrafted out of Rutgers. The 6’6″ Harper appeared in just nine contests for Toronto, averaging 2.2 points and 0.8 rebounds a night.

The 23-year-old made a bigger impact with Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate, the Raptors 905, averaging 16.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 BPG and 1.0 SPG in his 30 games with the club, including 27 starts.

While at Rutgers, Harper, son of five-time champion guard Ron Harper Sr., was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, and an Associated Press All-American honorable mention.

Harper’s solid final games with the Raptors 905 in 2022/23 helped him earn an additional two-way opportunity with Toronto for the 2023/24 season, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca tweets. Harper will be the second player signed to a two-way contract by the Raptors, joining rookie guard Markquis Nowell. The team also still has a two-way qualifying offer out to guard Jeff Dowtin.

12 Two-Way Restricted Free Agents Remain Unsigned

July 18th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

The action on the NBA’s free agent market has slowed since the start of July, but there are still many FAs seeking new deals, including a notable group of under-the-radar players whose situations will need to be resolved in the coming days, weeks, and months.

A total of 12 two-way restricted free agents are still available, as our up-to-date list shows. Those players are as follows:

Trent Forrest (Hawks)
Theo Maledon (Hornets)
Terry Taylor (Bulls)
Lester Quinones (Warriors)
Kendall Brown (Pacers)
Jamal Cain (Heat)
Matt Ryan (Timberwolves)
Trevor Keels (Knicks)
Duane Washington (Knicks)
Dominick Barlow (Spurs)
Jeff Dowtin (Raptors)
Ron Harper Jr. (Raptors)

That group doesn’t include a 13th player, Neemias Queta, who is also a restricted free agent after finishing last season on a two-way deal. Although he remains eligible to sign another two-way contract, Queta was ineligible for a two-way qualifying offer after having played on a two-way with the Kings for consecutive seasons — his QO is a one-year, minimum-salary contract with a small ($75K) partial guarantee.

For the rest of these players, their qualifying offer is simply another one-year, two-way deal, which limits their leverage to negotiate a more lucrative standard contract.

Some two-way RFAs have managed to earn standard deals this offseason. A.J. Green of the Bucks was one. Julian Champagnie of the Spurs was another. Ty Jerome (Warriors) and Jack White (Nuggets) received standard contract offers from the Cavaliers and Thunder, respectively, that their former teams were unwilling to match, so Golden State and Denver simply withdrew their respective qualifying offers, making Jerome and White unrestricted free agents.

Offer sheets for two-way restricted free agents essentially never happen though. And in general, unless a team has earmarked a 15-man roster spot for a two-way free agent, it’s an uphill battle for these players to earn offseason promotions.

As a result, the majority of the dozen restricted free agents listed above will likely end up accepting their qualifying offers and hoping that their play in 2023/24 forces their clubs to find 15-man roster spots for them later in the season.

Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on this group to see if any of them can do better than another two-way — and to see how long some of them might be willing to wait in the hope of earning that opportunity.

Raptors To Make Dalano Banton Unrestricted Free Agent

June 29th, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Raptors are not extending a qualifying offer to reserve point guard Dalano Banton, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links).

Toronto’s decision on the qualifying offer doesn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of a new deal with Banton, Murphy notes. However, the Raptors are declining his qualifying offer because it would be worth more than a two-year veteran’s minimum deal.

During his second NBA season, the 23-year-old out of Nebraska saw limited run with the Raptors. He averaged 4.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG and 1.2 APG in 9.0 MPG across 31 contests with the club.

Toronto is, however, extending qualifying offers to the team’s two two-way signings from 2022/23, point guard Jeff Dowtin and power forward Ron Harper Jr., Murphy reports.

While Murphy believes Dowtin could possibly return to the Raptors next season, either on a standard or two-way deal, he believes Harper may have to compete for a spot this summer.

In 25 games with the Raptors proper, Dowtin averaged 2.4 PPG, 1.2 APG and 0.9 RPG. In 19 games for Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate, the Raptors 905, the 6’3″ guard out of Rhode Island averaged a more robust 16.9 PPG on .502/.413/.771 shooting splits, plus 6.1 APG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.7 SPG.

Harper similarly appeared sparingly with Toronto’s NBA franchise, averaging 2.2 RPG in just nine games. Like, Dowtin, the 6’6″ forward also enjoyed a strong showing for the Raptors 905. He logged 16.7 PPG on .501/.366/.776, while also chipping in 5.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.2 BPG and 1.0 SPG.

Raptors Sign Justin Champagnie To Two-Year Contract

July 14th, 2022 at 10:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Raptors have signed Justin Champagnie to a two-year contract, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets.

It’s a minimum-salary deal with a $325K partial guarantee for the first year, Murphy adds.

The structure of the contract means Champagnie will still be competing for a roster spot in camp. D.J. Wilson got a similar deal from Toronto last week.

They will compete with Armoni Brooks and David Johnson for the remaining roster openings. Rookie Ron Harper Jr. holds one of the two-way contract spots. That signing is now official, according to the NBA transactions log.

Champagnie held a two-way slot at the end of last season and received a qualifying offer, which made him a restricted free agent. The size of his new partial guarantee makes him ineligible for a two-way slot with Toronto this season, Murphy adds in another tweet.

Champagnie fractured his thumb during Summer League practices, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets, but is expected to fully recover by training camp,

The undrafted wing, who turned 21 last month, appeared in 36 regular-season games last season. He averaged 2.3 PPG and 2.0 RPG in 7.8 MPG.