The Atlanta Hawks are not expected to include Zaccharie Risacher in a potential trade package for Dallas Mavericks star center Anthony Davis, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Mavericks Eyeing Zaccharie Risacher
League insider Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime said Dec. 27 that the Hawks “remain very intrigued” by the prospect of acquiring Davis from Dallas and “possess a pretty attractive asset package.”
“If a deal was able to materialize between the Hawks and the Dallas Mavericks, I was told it would not involve Trae Young,” Haynes continued.
Haynes suggested that Dallas isn’t interested in acquiring Young, but the Mavs are instead looking for expiring contracts, draft picks, and young players such as Risacher.
However, Davis might never end up in Atlanta if the Hawks are unwilling to move Risacher.
“We also noted last week that ‘it is also increasingly believed that Atlanta is willing to surrender Zaccharie Risacher in the proverbial right scenario,'” Stein wrote.
“But sources with knowledge of Atlanta’s thinking have signaled this week to multiple outlets — including this one — that the Hawks do not believe an in-season swing for Davis meets those parameters when it comes to 2024’s No. 1 overall pick.”
Hawks Reluctant To Trade For Anthony Davis
Young, 27, was selected fifth overall by Dallas in the 2018 NBA draft and was immediately traded to Atlanta for Luka Doncic. The Mavs are planning to surround 19-year-old Cooper Flagg with younger stars.
In 75 games (73 starts) last season, Risacher finished second in Rookie of the Year voting last season after averaging 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists with the Hawks.
Through 34 games (all starts) this campaign, he’s averaging 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per outing.
Per Spotrac, Davis is playing under a cap hit of $54.1 million this campaign. He is signed for one more season at approximately $54.5 million and holds a $62.7 million player option for 2027-28.
Any team that trades for Davis “will have to really consider giving him an extension,” per Haynes. For Atlanta, moving Risacher while bringing in an aging, injury-prone star would be a bold strategy.
It’s precisely why the Hawks would rather retain the 20-year-old.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, in addition to their untouchable first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans, the Hawks should also have a mid-first round pick thanks to the swap rights they acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s De’Andre Hunter trade.
Atlanta owes the San Antonio Spurs its first-round pick next year, but the team has a better pick incoming because of its Dejounte Murray deal with the Pelicans.
The Hawks will receive the lesser of New Orleans’ and the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round picks in 2027, assuming they don’t both land in the top four. After 2027, the Hawks control all of their own first-round picks.
