Quin Snyder is watching a Hawks draft pick lose the faith of the fanbase

This season has not gone according to plan. The Hawks sit at 16-19 through 35 games, placing them just barely within the top ten of the Eastern Conference.

Many expected Atlanta to be a sneaky contender this year. After acquiring Kristaps Porzingis via trade and picking up free agent Nickeil Alexander-Walker, there was no denying that General Manager Onsi Saleh was going for it all.

It seemed like the core was locked up. Regardless of how Trae Young's ongoing contract situation unfolds, the youth movement in Atlanta has been well underway.

The team's outlook has changed dramatically over the last two seasons. Jalen Johnson's rise to stardom has sped up the process, while Dyson Daniels has evolved into one of the league's premier defensive players.

Zaccharie Risacher, 2024's first overall pick, was another promising asset in Atlanta's hands. While not the traditional mold of a top draft selection, Risacher flashed all of the needed capabilities of a starting forward in his rookie season.

In nearly 25 minutes a night, he averaged a solid 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds on 45.8% from the field and 35.5% from deep.

The numbers didn't tell the full story. Not only was he shooting the ball at an efficient rate and becoming one of the most dangerous cutters in the NBA, but he was doing some incredible stuff on the defensive end.

He was tasked with a tough defensive assignment nearly every night, and to the surprise of many around the league, he routinely delivered.

This impressive season gave fans plenty of hope that Risacher was destined for a monumental leap in year two. Nearly halfway through the new season, however, this has not at all been the case.

Quin Snyder does not have faith in Zaccharie Risacher.

Not only are his numbers down, but his overall impact is as well. On the season, Risacher is averaging just 10.7 points and 3.0 rebounds on 45.3% from the field and 33.8% from deep.

While disappointing, there may be a direct answer for his sophomore season struggles. He is averaging fewer minutes per game than last year, something that is incredibly rare for a former first overall pick.

It's been especially bad over this recent stretch of games. Before Wednesday afternoon's home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he had a five-game stretch in which he played less than 24 minutes a night.

Against the New York Knicks, Risacher only logged 19 minutes, his third lowest of the season.

Despite having a solid game on both ends against the Oklahoma City Thunder, he still couldn't see the floor in the game's final minutes. Instead, Coach Snyder opted to close the game with Luke Kennard in his place.

Yes, Zaccharie Risacher has had a deeply frustating second NBA season, but the lack of trust from his head coach has played a major part in his and the team's struggles.