On Sunday night, Marc Stein reported that the Atlanta Hawks are currently open to moving off 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher in the right scenario. Stein also backed up Chris Haynes' reporting that the Hawks are a suitor for Anthony Davis.
Stein: It is "increasingly believed" the Hawks would be willing to trade Zaccharie Risacher in the right scenario.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 29, 2025
"The No. 1 overall pick in the draft just 18 months ago has not developed as the Hawks would have hoped to this point."
Ahead of February's trade deadline, all signs point to the Hawks being buyers. However, they understandably don't want to trade Jalen Johnson or the unprotected New Orleans Pelicans' first-round pick. At this point, Trae Young's value is limited, making moving off Risacher in a big trade the next logical option. Perhaps there will be a package that includes both Young and Risacher.
The second-year forward has shown signs of regression, averaging 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 45.5/33.3/67.5 shooting splits. Risacher's poor 3-point shooting is a clear red flag, given this was supposed to be his biggest strength. Nevertheless, Risacher showed plenty of two-way promise as a rookie, and surely many teams would be interested in him.
With that in mind, let's dive into three possible trade suitors for Risacher. Given that the report states "in the right scenario," these landing spots will be able to give the Hawks a star in return as part of a larger trade.
3. Sacramento Kings
I'll admit this trade destination is the one I'm the least sure about from the Hawks' perspective. However, I have to wonder, if the Hawks are open to trading for Anthony Davis, why not Domantas Sabonis?
Sabonis isn't close to the defensive monster that Davis is, but he is three years younger, far healthier, and on a cheaper contract. Young and Sabonis would be an odd fit. Even still, I'm not sure if Young would be involved in this deal, unless it's a bigger trade. A deal centered around Risacher and Kristaps Porziņģis would work financially, though. Perhaps Young gets moved in another trade if the Hawks pursue this hypothetical deal.
While I have my concerns about Sabonis' fit with the Hawks, I think Risacher would be an awesome fit with a Sacramento Kings team that is seemingly ready to embrace a rebuild. Risacher's fit with Keegan Murray is especially intriguing to me. Neither player has star-level upside, but both could be high-quality wings who contribute to winning basketball. And if the Kings eventually land a young star, they'd have a solid infrastructure in place around him.
Overall, the Kings might not be the first team that comes to mind as a Risacher, but they make a lot of sense to me.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
If the Milwaukee Bucks decide to move off of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Hawks are one of the most obvious suitors, given their slew of draft capital. It's also fair to expect that the Bucks would want some win-now talent back as they don't outright own their first-round pick until 2031.
As such, it's easy to deal centered around Young, Risacher, and significant draft capital. Of course, this comes with the major caveat that the Bucks are open to Giannis. Regardless, a package from the Hawks could be the best offer Milwaukee would get, and Risacher would certainly be a part of this.
Keeping Risacher and Young together would be mutually beneficial. Young's playmaking uplifts Risacher's 3-point shooting. Likewise, Risacher's defense and size complement Young's defensive deficiencies.
A Giannis-Hawks trade would certainly be a crazy outcome, but it's not unrealistic, and it could ultimately be in the best interest of both teams.
1. Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks are the most obvious suitor, especially as the buzz around a Davis-Hawks trade seems legitimate. Stein pitched a package around Risacher, Luke Kennard, Kristaps Porziņģis, and some draft capital. This seems like a pretty solid return for Dallas, and Risacher's fit makes a lot of sense if the Mavs want to commit to a youth movement.
In the modern NBA, you can never have enough wings, and having two promising young wings is an ideal scenario for Dallas. Of course, Cooper Flagg's upside is much higher than Risacher's. Nevertheless, Risacher's hypthoucal 3-and-D skill set could be the ideal complement to Flagg's all-around brilliance. Trading for Risacher and adding another lottery pick in June would give the Mavs a solid young foundation around Flagg.
From Risacher's perspective, being on a team that is more committed to a rebuild and his development could help him rejuvenate his career. Ultimately, based on current reporting, the Mavericks seem like the most likely landing spot for Risacher, and this move could benefit him significantly.