NBA Rumor: Justin Harper Free Agency
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There’s Justin Harper, with the New York Knicks. Casper Ware, with the Portland Trail Blazers. Brady Heslip with the Memphis Grizzlies. There are no paychecks for playing in Summer League. There’s per diem, around $100 per day. There’s a hotel room, two-hour practices, daily bus rides and no guarantee of playing time. “It’s a grind, man,” Machado said. “Every time you come out to Summer League, everyone is trying to prove themselves. Me, trying to facilitate, sometimes you overthink it. Every time you come back, you think, ‘Man I did this already.’ It’s a constant grind and constant pressure you put on yourself.”
Harper will remain in the city and rejoin the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League. He’s averaging 16.2 points and 7.0 rebounds and is shooting 40.1 percent on three-pointers for the D-Fenders this season. The 6-foot-10, 225-pounder said he learned the value of competing and fighting during his time with the Sixers. “They are very competitive group of guys and I think that coincides with what I kind of go through just to get another shot and prove myself,” Harper said. “So you know, it’s a team full of guy that are hungry and young guys that the talent and trying to put it all together.
Jessica Camerato: Justin Harper’s run with the Sixers ends after this 10-day.
Sixers add Justin Harper
The Philadelphia 76ers announced today the team has signed forward Justin Harper to a 10-day contract. Harper, a two-time NBA D-League All-Star, most recently saw action with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, where he appeared in 37 games (all starts) and posted averages of 16 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes per game, while shooting 40 percent from three-point range.
Sixers adding Justin Harper
Shams Charania: The Philadelphia 76ers plan to sign forward Justin Harper of the L.A. D-Fenders to a 10-day contract, league sources tell @The Vertical.
Chris Reichert: However, Justin Harper will likely return to D-Fenders after his 2nd consecutive 10-day with Detroit expired #NBADL
Keith Langlois: #Pistons bringing back Justin Harper for second 10-day deal, Stan Van Gundy says.
April 19, 2021 | 11:00 am EDT Update
Jordan Clarkson: 'This is that time and that moment where I've impacted the game'
Just like when both Bryant and James won five NBA titles, Clarkson’s main source of motivation points toward collecting championship hardware. Unlike when Bryant and James both won Finals and regular-season MVP awards, Clarkson’s other source of motivation points toward becoming the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. “If we’re winning games and we’re doing that, I’ll be rewarded for that,” Clarkson told USA TODAY Sports. “I feel like this is that time and that moment where I’ve impacted the game.”
“If the Sixth Man of the Year award comes and I don’t get it, I don’t need the validation because my teammates, coaching staff and a lot of my peers gave me that,” Clarkson said. “They’re telling me, ‘I respect what you do’ and all of that. So, I know that goes a long way as well. But it’s definitely something I want to get accomplished one of these years. Hopefully it’s this year.”
So after a regular-season loss in Portland, Bryant chewed out his younger teammates over their attitude, work habits and decision making. “I remember him just really getting upset,” Clarkson said. “You’ve seen him come out of his skin and grill us a little bit. But from that point on, I felt all of us had a different look at everything with what we wanted to do. That’s probably, in terms of development, a little wake-up call.”
Aaron Gordon on being traded: 'I didn’t know if everybody was pushing in the same direction'
“It was difficult, yes, because I would have loved to have stayed with a healthy Markelle (Fultz), and a healthy Jonathan Isaac and a newly blossoming Mo Bamba and a healthy Cole Anthony, but I felt like there was just something telling me I needed to shake things up. It kind of felt like I had one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake out in Orlando. “I was giving it my all, you know? I was giving it my all, and it was difficult, man. I didn’t know if everybody was pushing in the same direction.”
Organizationally, I asked? “Yeah, organizationally, in terms of the plan,” Gordon continued. “I think (Magic front office executives) John Hammond, Jeff Weltman, those guys are amazing people — amazing people, and very talented managers as well. But I feel like they got kind of cast into the revolving door out there as well in Orlando. So many coaches — five coaches in seven years (Jacque Vaughn, James Borrego, Scott Skiles, Frank Vogel and Steve Clifford). And it was kind of a different organization after the passing of Mr. (Rich) DeVos (in September 2018) as well. It was just a lot. A lot of uncertainty, an insecure kind of feeling. But I have no doubt in my mind that John and Jeff are going to get that organization back to where it needs to be.
“This year, we have high, high aspirations — championship aspirations,” Gordon, who clearly didn’t get the memo about those hopes no longer being on the table, told The Athletic. “We still feel like we have enough, especially with ‘Joker’ man. When you’ve got that guy on the floor, you have a chance to win every single night. So everybody’s got to step up, everybody has to play their best. But if we’re doing that, then I feel like we have a good chance to go as far as we want to.”
“He’s a genius, man,” Gordon said of Jokic, who is on track to become just the second player in league history to average at least 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists per game (Oscar Robertson is the other, and he did it just once). “He’s a basketball genius. That’s really what it comes down to. He’s playing it like it’s chess, seeing it three steps ahead. “I’m starting to learn that you’ve always got to keep your eye on him when he has the ball because he’ll find you. He’ll find you. Even if you don’t think you’re open, you’re open. He’ll pass you open, which is dope. It’s just amazing to play with somebody like that who can actually pass you open and sees the game (like that), and who likes to pass and enjoys passing.”
