Magic Rookie Justin Harper to Play for France’s SIG Strasbourg

Following in the footsteps of a few other NBA rookies, Justin Harper is headed overseas during the NBA’s work stoppage. The Orlando Sentinel reports: “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, [Justin] 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.’ … Young said Harper will be furnished with a car and an apartment in France and will receive a signing bonus. Young would not disclose Harper’s salary, but Harper reportedly will be paid $14,000 a month.”