The Atlanta Hawks officially closed the book on Zaccharie Risacher after trading the former No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team deal. Moving on from Risacher this early in his career naturally brings back one of the biggest questions surrounding the 2024 NBA Draft: What if Atlanta had selected Alex Sarr instead?
Sarr was widely viewed as a legitimate candidate to go No. 1 overall before ultimately landing with the Washington Wizards at No. 2. His camp reportedly did not view Atlanta as the ideal destination at the time, with Sarr's desire to spend less time at center creating questions about how he would fit alongside the Hawks' existing frontcourt.
Two years later, the hypothetical looks considerably different. Sarr averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game this past season, continuing to display the athleticism, length and rim protection that made him one of the most intriguing prospects in his draft class.
Sarr could have transformed Atlanta's frontcourt
Imagining Sarr on the Hawks' current roster is enough to make fans wonder what could have been. A young frontcourt featuring Jalen Johnson, Sarr and Onyeka Okongwu would give Quin Snyder tremendous size, athleticism and defensive versatility to experiment with on a nightly basis.
Sarr's ability to protect the rim would be particularly valuable for a Hawks team that has already loaded up on perimeter defense. Putting him behind players such as Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could have made attacking Atlanta's defense an exhausting task for opposing teams.
His offensive development would add another intriguing dimension. Sarr would not necessarily need to become one of Atlanta's primary scorers with Johnson leading the offense, allowing him to focus on finishing around the basket, spacing the floor when needed and using his athleticism in transition.
Pairing Sarr with Okongwu would present some spacing concerns depending on the matchup, but Snyder would not necessarily need to play them together for extended stretches. Sarr's versatility could allow Atlanta to rotate between different frontcourt combinations while maintaining size and rim protection throughout the game.
Would that immediately make the Hawks championship contenders? Probably not. However, adding Sarr's production to the roster Atlanta has assembled today could have given the Hawks one of the most promising young frontcourts in the Eastern Conference and strengthened their case as a potential top-three seed.
Atlanta cannot spend too much time wondering what could have been
None of this should be interpreted as a criticism of Risacher. He showed legitimate flashes during his rookie season and produced several impressive scoring performances, but he never developed the consistency Atlanta needed as his role eventually diminished under Snyder.
Risacher is also still young enough to become a very good NBA player. His move to Dallas gives him a fresh opportunity to develop in a different environment, and judging his entire career based on what happened during his relatively brief tenure with the Hawks would be premature.
There is also no guarantee Atlanta would have selected Sarr if Saleh had been running basketball operations at the time. Different front offices evaluate prospects differently, and the circumstances surrounding the 2024 draft would have presented Saleh with the same questions regarding Sarr's preferred position and fit.
Still, seeing Risacher traded this early inevitably makes the decision worth revisiting. The Hawks used the No. 1 overall selection on a player who is no longer part of their future, while Sarr has developed into the type of young big man who seemingly would fit exceptionally well with the roster Atlanta has since constructed.
The good news is that the Hawks have already turned the page. Saleh has reshaped the roster around Johnson by adding Dort, Alexander-Walker, rookie guard Kingston Flemings and other pieces that better align with the identity Atlanta is building for the future.
Draft what-ifs will always follow NBA franchises, especially when the No. 1 overall pick is involved. Sarr in a Hawks uniform is an intriguing scenario to imagine, but Atlanta cannot build its future by looking backward. With the organization firmly focused on winning now, the moves Saleh makes from this point forward matter far more than the selection the Hawks could have made two years ago.
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