Zaccharie Risacher: Why Did the Hawks Trade Me?
Traded to Dallas in the off-season, Risacher says he still doesn't understand Atlanta's decision after a season he felt exceeded expectations.
Zaccharie Risacher says he does not know why Atlanta traded him this off-season, and points to a first season that, by the Hawks' own account, went well.
"Honestly, I don't know, because I felt like I had a good first season. I was told I exceeded expectations. This second season came as a complete surprise to me, I didn't really understand what was going on. At the same time, I was part of a team fighting for a playoff spot, and I understand that's part of the game. I was also told the NBA is a very competitive league. Not that I fully understood that, but I think, like I said, it's part of the game, part of the league we're in," Risacher said.
The number one pick in the 2024 draft, Risacher averaged 9.6 points and 1.1 assists on 36.8% three-point shooting across 67 games for the Hawks in the 2025/2026 season. His numbers dropped in the playoffs against the eventual champions, the Knicks: 3.7 points and three rebounds a game on 35% shooting from the field in the first-round series.
Atlanta traded him to Dallas in the off-season. The move leaves the Mavericks with a young wing still searching for the consistency that marked his rookie year, on a roster now built around a different timeline than the one that drafted him.
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