Shams: The Celtics have declined the team option on Ron Harper Jr. and plan to extend his contract for three years.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania on Saturday, the Boston Celtics will not exercise their $2.6 million team option for Ron Harper Jr. for next season. They plan to sign Harper to a three-year, $9 million contract extension running through the 2028/29 season.

Given that Harper's salary of $2.6 million next season is roughly the same as his previous contract, this extension will obviously not affect the Celtics' salary cap space or operational flexibility. Harper's return will also enhance the Celtics' bench depth at the wing positions and effectively relieve playing time pressure on young players such as Baylor Sherman and Jordan Walsh.

Harper, 26, is a 6'6" (1.96m) and 106kg (106kg) swingman who entered the NBA in July 2022 as an undrafted free agent. He spent his first three seasons in the G League and played for several teams, including the Raptors 905, Maine Celtics, and Motorcycle City Rangers.

Harper also played 11 regular season games for the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons, averaging 2.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.

In the 2025/26 season, Harper played 29 games for the Celtics as a rotation player, averaging 4.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 11.0 minutes per game, helping the Celtics reach the playoffs with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. He then played 6 games in the playoffs, averaging 1.8 points in 4.2 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 44.4% and a three-point percentage of 50.0%.

Image source: Internet/NBA official website