HoopsHype.com Rumors

With the Idaho Stampede, who invested the third overall pick in him, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to make up for the experience he missed out on last year. “It’s exciting man,” Harper said to HOOPSWORLD. “It’s a blessing just to be called at the time I was. You have to look at it as another opportunity to get back to work. “I think it’s going to be good. You have to have confidence going in, especially when the team believes in you and takes you high. They have expectations and you have to go from there. And, have even higher expectations for yourself and be ready to work.” HoopsWorld

D-League, Justin Harper 

The Orlando Magic have waived wing Quentin Richardson, combo forward Justin Harper and wing Chris Johnson, team officials said. The moves bring the team's roster down to 15 players, ahead of the NBA-mandated 5 p.m. Monday deadline. It also means that wing DeQuan Jones, an undrafted rookie and former Miami Hurricanes player, made the regular-season roster. Richardson, 32, didn't fit into the Magic's long-term plans, and he didn't play in Orlando's final four preseason games. Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, Quentin Richardson, Chris Johnson, Justin Harper, DeQuan Jones 

NBA Orlando Summer Update (yes, with trade rumor): Andrew Nicholson (24 points, 12 rebounds) strong in debut for Magic vs. Heat. Kyle O'Quinn (14 points), 2nd-round pick for Magic, also looked good, as did Justin Harper (15 points, 12 in 1Q). Harper could be a piece, source says, in potential Magic-Nets-Cavs deal. Sulia

Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Trade, Dwight Howard, Justin Harper 

When Orlando drafted Orton, they hadn’t seen him work out in person. Nearly every other team in the league had witnessed Orton struggle in workouts and knew of his knee issues. The Magic selected him sight unseen, and Orton isn’t the exception. Justin Harper had never met or interviewed with Orlando before they traded for his draft rights last year. HoopsWorld

Orlando Magic, Draft, Justin Harper 

Rival executives openly joke about the Magic’s approach to the pre-draft process. Most teams interview and work out everyone on their draft board. Some teams will even bring in a player multiple times to make sure they have a good read on his personality and game. The Magic’s lack of preparation has hurt them and a new regime must have a better approach to the draft. HoopsWorld

Orlando Magic, Draft, Justin Harper 

Josh Robbins: Justin Harper, @Justin Harper, probably played his last game for Strasbourg IG 2nite: 33 minutes, 7 pts., 10 rebs. SIG lost. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Free Agency, France, Justin Harper 

Josh Robbins: Harper's NBA-out is triggered when both sides ratify new CBA. So he should be back in the U.S. before camp starts Dec 9 Twitter

Orlando Magic, Free Agency, France, Justin Harper 

Justin Harper was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 32nd pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, but the rookie from Richmond won't begin his professional career in Florida. Instead, Harper will be taking his talents to France until the NBA lockout is over after finalizing an agreement to play in France with SIG Strasbourg. SB Nation

Orlando Magic, Lockout, France, Justin Harper, Strasbourg 

Josh Robbins: Justin Harper hasn't signed his contract yet w/SIG Strasbourg, but it's just a matter of finalizing language. Twitter

Orlando Magic, France, Justin Harper 

Add forward Justin Harper to the list of Americans who play overseas during the NBA lockout. The Orlando Magic rookie has agreed in principle to a deal with SIG Strasbourg, a team in France's top professional league, said Lance Young, Harper's agent. Young said the only part of the contract yet to be finalized is the exact language of the clause that will allow Harper to return to the U.S. when and if there is a 2011-12 NBA season. "We're hoping he can go out there for a couple of months and improve on a few things at the Pro A level in France and come back for training camp whenever that may be," Young told the Orlando Sentinel. "He'll be able to have some money in his pocket. But the main reason he wanted to do this was not for the money but just for the experience of playing professionally." Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, France, Justin Harper 

Young acknowledged that playing overseas carries a risk of injury, but ultimately Harper determined that there also would have been a risk of injury if he had decided to remain in the U.S. and play pickup games and train on his own. Because of the lockout, officials from NBA teams are not permitted to have contact with their players or with their players' agents. "Obviously, the Orlando Magic will be reading about this," Young said. "I think they will be supportive of this. I haven't been able to reach out to them. "But I think they, like everyone else, will realize this will only help Justin as a player and as a person. We're just crossing our fingers he comes back in October or November [because the lockout ends] and not January or February or staying the whole year." Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic, France, Justin Harper 

Jorge Sierra: Magic draftee Justin Harper is close to signing with Strasbourg of France, two sources told HoopsHype. I see @SportandoBasket is reporting that the deal is done. Not what I'm hearing. The deal between Harper and Strasbourg should be finalized tomorrow, one source told HoopsHype. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Lockout, France, Justin Harper, Strasbourg 

SIG Strasbourg, after Lavoy Allen, agreed to terms with another player selected in the 2011 NBA Draft: Justin Harper. The power forward spent his college career with Richmond Spiders averaging, as senior, 17.9ppg, 6.9rpg, 1.2apg and 1.2bpg in 37 games played. Sportando

Orlando Magic, Lockout, France, Justin Harper, Strasbourg 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Orlando draft pick Justin Harper's deal with Strasbourg-France worth $14K per month, plus bonuses, source says. Deal includes NBA-out. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Lockout, France, Justin Harper, Strasbourg 

The deal between Justin Harper and Strasbourg should be finalized tomorrow, one source told HoopsHype. Twitter

Lockout, France, Justin Harper, Strasbourg 

A number of GMs reported to me on Friday that they passed on some players because of injury concerns. What's interesting is that some team doctors see problems that other team doctors don't. I heard particular teams had concerns about Bismack Biyombo, Kemba Walker, Justin Harper and Josh Selby. The concerns didn't affect Biyombo and Walker's draft stock much, but may help explain why Harper and Selby slid like they did. ESPN.com

Draft, Kemba Walker, Justin Harper, Bismack Biyombo, Josh Selby 

What kind of feedback have you gotten from teams about your draft stock? Justin Harper: Pretty good. They say they are impressed by the way I play against other players, that I really helped myself with the workouts. It looks like I could be a late-first round pick. HoopsHype

Draft, Justin Harper 

Do you see yourself playing as a small forward or power forward? Justin Harper: I see myself as a power forward who can stretch the floor with my range, although I think I’m able to play the three because of my ballhandling. I can put the ball on the floor, that’s a big part of my game and I think that’s what sets me apart from other power forwards in this draft. HoopsHype

Draft, Justin Harper 

The Celtics held a draft workout on Wednesday with Justin Harper, Lavoy Allen, Jamie Skeen, Keith Benson, Jon Leuer, Jeremy Tyler and Frank Hassell. Matt Howard was originally scheduled for that workout but was not there for an unknown reason. The word was that Justin Harper and Lavoy Allen both played fairly well. The Hoops Report

Boston Celtics, Draft, Jeremy Tyler, Justin Harper, Jon Leuer, Keith Benson, Jamie Skeen, Lavoy Allen 

Aron Phillips: The Celtics' workout Wednesday: Richmond's Justin Harper, Wisconsin's Jon Leuer, VCU's Jamie Skeen and Butler's Matt Howard. Twitter

Boston Celtics, Draft, Justin Harper, Jon Leuer, Jamie Skeen