Former Top Pick Risacher Looking to Find Redemption with Mavericks

On Sunday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania officially announced a three-team trade involving a former No. 1 pick: Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher will be sent to Dallas, Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta, and picks to OKC.

BREAKING: The Oklahoma City Thunder trading All-Defensive wing Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that sends three second-round picks to OKC, former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks and Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4ewUxhRQA5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2026

Drafted first overall in 2024, Risacher saw a tumultuous two years with the Hawks. His first season showed some promise, as he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with 12.6 points on 46% shooting.

In Year 2, he took a dive, scoring just 9.6 points while largely falling out of the meaningful rotation entirely.

The list of recent No. 1 picks largely features stars or those soon to be, including Risacher’s new teammate in Cooper Flagg, who dominated en route to a Rookie of the Year win. Only Risacher stands out as questionable top selection in the last several years, leading to his early exit from Atlanta.

Now, Risacher will be looking to find some redemption with the Dallas Mavericks, a team that could fit his developmental timeline better.

Firstly, despite having some older talent in Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford and more, the Mavericks are very much still moving through a rebuild. Flagg stands alone as the crown jewel, though a recent pick up in top-10 selection Morez Johnson Jr., and now Risacher, also stand out as young talent.

Risacher simply needed more time to cook than Atlanta had to offer as a postseason team, though the inkling of what he can be remains: a spindly but fluid 6-foot-8 wing with shot-making prowess, the ability to break players down off the dribble, and make a difference on defense with size and length.

A player like that could especially be useful next to Flagg, who’s sure to dominate on-ball opportunities with his own combination of size, strength, shot and play-making, and defense.

There will be little pressure for Risacher to perform right away in Dallas, especially given the toughness of the Western Conference. Flagg and co. are an interesting bunch — not accounting for an Irving return — but aren't expected to make waves in the West. Given that, Risacher should be looked at to simply hit open shots and get stop on defense before trying to tap into his former No. 1 potential.

With a fellow top pick to take the pressure off, Risacher could find a much better home in Dallas, with a long career still ahead of him.

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