The Atlanta Hawks caught a lot of heat for effectively giving up on Zaccharie Risacher this offseason in exchange for a proven impactful veteran.
Selected first overall by the Hawks in the 2024 NBA Draft, Risacher emerged in their starting lineup during his rookie season, but inconsistent play and Atlanta desire to win now ultimately led to impatience regarding his slow development.
On the surface, Risacher's trade to Dallas seemed like a win-win for both franchises. A rebuilding Mavericks team got to take a flyer on a young player for the cost of essentially nothing, while Atlanta landed a world-class defender to an already talented group on that end.
However, if preseason is any indicator, the 21-year-old forward still has quite the way to go.
The signs of excellence are there - he just can't seem to put it all together
Risacher has gotten the start in each of the Mavericks three preseason games, and none of the outings have looked similar.
Statistically, overall, he hasn't been too bad.
He's found a way to make some noise in the box score, despite in-game struggles that persist.
Entering his third season in the league, Mavericks fans had hoped he would refine some of the things that ultimately erased him from Atlanta's nightly rotation.
For example, his instability while attacking downhill often resulted in wasted possessions. His overcommitment to the three-ball limited his ability to impact the game when his shot wasn't falling.
A lot of those weaknesses have been on display the entire preseason, but especially during their most recent outing against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In 23 minutes, Risacher recorded just six points on 3-11 from the field and 0-7 from deep. He also had the worst plus/minus of all Dallas' starters. The raw potential is still there, but it may not be as seamless of a transition into his next destination as many believed it would.
Mavericks must closely monitor his minutes, similar to what the Hawks did
They should actually manage Risacher how the Hawks did in his rookie season, not the next.
Atlanta began the year with him off the bench, slowly giving him more run, allowing him to get comfortable.
Immediately throwing him into the fire, making him a starter in his new destination right after being benched in his previous one, could result in disaster - something he can't afford entering year three.
It could be a rocky season for the former Hawk, but if managed correctly, it wouldn't be surprising to see him finally find his footing.
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