Trae Young delivers strong take on Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher

Trae Young is an assist machine and he is already dishing out dimes to teammate Zaccharie Risacher.

Risacher was the No. 1 overall pick by the Hawks in a 2024 NBA Draft class that was among the most slighted in recent memory. Young previously said he did not see any franchise cornerstones emerging from the class, specifically speaking about Alexandre Sarr.

He also said he believed Sarr would still have a good career.

Young, who has noted the flack he caught for not immediately posting a message to Risacher on social media, went into more detail about his teammate’s outlook.

“Zacch is going to be an unbelievable player,” Young told Responsible Gambler’s DJ Siddiqi in an interview published on September 27. “He’s very young, he’s only 19. He’s going to play most of the season as a 19-year-old. He’s very talented, he’s taller in person. He can shoot it and he has a lot of skill. My first impressions are that he’s going to be great and he has a lot of upside to him. Looking forward to playing with him this season.”

The Hawks list Risacher at 6-foot-9. 

But has often been described as being 6-foot-10, often with the “in shoes” qualifier attached, so it is no surprise to hear Young remark on that. His praise for what Risacher can do also comes as no real surprise given his previous comments on the rookie.

Trae Young high on Zaccharie Risacher's potential

Young spoke with Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George on the latter’s podcast earlier this year, remarking on Risacher’s height then too.

Young touted Risacher’s defensive versatility and another new teammate in Dyson Daniels.

“I see [him being a complementary piece] in his game,” Young said on “Podcast P” in August. “He's a defender. He doesn't have to do much. Can knock down open shots, get stops. We're going to have a taller team with him on the wing. Dyson Daniels. That's a bigger, taller guard. But he plays defense.

“When you have guys picking up and having defensive highlights like a Lu Dort, when you have those type guys on your team?

“I feel like he's going to have a a really good year too.”

Young’s comments about the look of the Hawks on the wings could offer some insight into the Hawks’ plans for the starting lineup. 

Trae Young’s comments could shed light on Hawks’ planned starting lineup

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie spoke about hearing the Hawks viewed both forward spots and even shooting guard as “interchangeable.”

“Everything I'm hearing is – and I’m curious if you have heard the same thing – they're like, ‘Hey, we're kind of viewing the 2, 3, and maybe even the 4 is all kind of interchangeable for us. We plan to play them all together,’” Vecenie said on the “Game Theory Podcast” on September 12.

It sure sounds like Young plans to have Daniels and Risacher flanking him.

Johnson staked his claim to a starting – and potentially starring – role early in 2023-24 and was only undone by injuries.

That could mean De’Andre Hunter will revert to the bench role he had and thrived in during a stretch in 2023-24. He would be an expensive bench option in Year 2 of a four-year, $90 million contract.

The Hawks would have another price reserve in Bogdan Bogdanovic (four years, $68 million).

Bogdanovic and Hunter would also give the Hawks two of the best bench options in the league and would be affordable with Daniels, Johnson (for now), and Rischer on rookie deals.