Sam

Dekker

The Lions are preparing for EuroCup play this season, and they’ve signed a player in Dekker who has ample experience in said competition. The former Wisconsin standout, a first-round pick of the Rockets in 2015, appeared in one regular season game for the Raptors last season. After being waived by Toronto, Dekker finished the season with Bahçeşehir Koleji in Turkey, which won the EuroCup.

The Raps had to waive Dekker by Saturday to avoid guaranteeing his contract for the 2021-22 season. After signing as a free agent in the summer, he played in just one regular-season game with the Raptors.

Dekker is one of the players fighting for a guaranteed roster spot, and he likely helped his cause Tuesday night. The former Wisconsin standout shot 4-of-5 from beyond the arc and, along with Malachi Flynn, helped spark the Raptors’ second-half rally. However, for as well as Dekker played Tuesday, he wasn’t alone amongst the players looking for a contract. Ishmail Wainright (7/4/1 with two 3-pointers) gave Toronto some good minutes, looking like the team’s best option to defend centers behind Khem Birch despite being just 6-foot-5. Following the game, Raptors coach Nick Nurse said that there wasn’t much separating the players on non-guaranteed deals from their more secure teammates. “You could make a case for any of them. You really could,” Nurse said. Final cuts are going to be very interesting in Toronto.

Dekker, who was the 18th pick in the 2015 draft, last played in the NBA during the 2018-19 season, when he appeared in a total of 47 games for the Cavaliers the Wizards. For his career, Dekker has averaged 5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.5 minutes. It is unlikely he will make a fantasy impact this season.

According to the report by Emiliano Carchia of Sportando, the deal has just a few details to be ironed out before completion. Dekker, a first-round pick of the Rockets in 2015, was traded from Cleveland to Washington during last season. Dekker was unable to carve out a regular role in his first four seasons in the NBA, making a move abroad a sensible decision.

Jabari Parker (knee) is being listed as questionable, so if he’s again forced to join Ariza on the sidelines, it’ll again be Troy Brown Jr., Bobby Portis, Jeff Green and Sam Dekker picking up the slack. Brown Jr. and Portis offer the most upside out of that group.

Parker suffered the knee injury during Wednesday’s game, and with just two games remaining on the schedule after Friday, that could do it for Parker’s 2018-19 campaign. Jeff Green will return to the rotation with Parker on the sidelines, while Bobby Portis and Sam Dekker will get all the run they can handle.

If you streamed him in your fantasy league your opponent will sleep well tonight. Dekker is miles off the fantasy radar and was getting minutes in the teens before his two-game absence.

Trevor Ariza will play through his knee injury, so that doesn’t leave many minutes for Dekker with Jeff Green and Jabari Parker both healthy. Dekker was getting minutes in the teens before his two-game absence and is safe to ignore.

With Trevor Ariza (knee) also questionable for Friday’s game, Jabari Parker and Jeff Green could be looking at heavy minutes against the Hornets.