The Boston Celtics are keeping Ron Harper Jr. around, and they’re doing it with a new contract that gives both sides some certainty heading into what looks like a wild offseason.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Harper plans to sign a three-year deal worth $9 million to stay in Boston. The Celtics are declining his $2.6 million team option to make the longer commitment work. It’s a straight up reward for the 26 year old after he put together the best season of his NBA career.
Harper played in 29 games last season, starting three of them. He averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds in about 11 minutes a night, shooting 41.8 percent from the field and a respectable 35 percent from three. Those numbers won’t jump off the page, but for a team looking for steady depth, he showed he can hold his own on both ends.
He bounced around before landing in Boston — stops in Toronto and Detroit didn’t stick — but his role grew during the 2025-26 campaign and the front office noticed. Now they’re locking him in before he hits the open market.
The timing is interesting because the Celtics have bigger things cooking. Multiple reports have Boston making Jaylen Brown available in trade talks, with the Portland Trail Blazers emerging as a team that’s seriously interested. Brown’s future is the main storyline hanging over this franchise right now, and it’s not going anywhere until something actually happens.
But the Celtics aren’t just sitting around waiting. They’re making moves to keep the rest of the roster intact. Harper’s new deal is part of that — a small piece of continuity for a team that went 56-26 last season, grabbed the No. 2 seed in the East, and then blew a 3-1 series lead against the 76ers in the first round. That exit stung, and the front office has been clear that changes are coming.
Free agency officially starts Tuesday, and Boston’s front office has already shown they’re not afraid to make decisions. The Harper signing is a low key but smart move. It keeps a guy who knows the system and can step into a bigger role if needed. It also gives the Celtics some flexibility as they figure out what to do with Brown and the rest of the roster.
The team hasn’t confirmed any of the Brown trade chatter, but the league is watching. Portland is reportedly interested. Other teams might jump in too. In the meantime, the Celtics are handling their business where they can.
Harper’s deal is a minor one in the big picture. But it’s also a reminder that even with major questions looming, Boston is still trying to build something that works.
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