One former No. 1 overall pick may be speedrunning his Anthony Bennett arc.
The Atlanta Hawks could potentially trade away young forward Zaccharie Risacher this offseason, John Hollinger of The Athletic reported on Friday. Hollinger notes that Risacher “stalled out” for Atlanta this year and that “a trade can’t be ruled out” at this point.
Risacher, still only 21, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft (which was universally regarded as a weak draft class). He was an All-Rookie First Teamer for the Hawks last season but virtually became a ghost for the team this season.
The 6-foot-8 Risacher only averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in his sophomore year. He then fell out of the rotation entirely during the playoffs, making just three inconsequential appearances as the Hawks lost in six games to the New York Knicks in the first round.
As for the longer-term picture in Atlanta, it does not look much better for Risacher. With the emergences of fellow young wings like 2026 All-Star Jalen Johnson, reigning NBA Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and trade deadline arrival Jonathan Kuminga, there is no longer a clear path to minutes for Risacher in Atlanta.
With two years left on his rookie contract, Risacher cannot even become a restricted free agent until 2028. But with fans already labeling Risacher as a bust with some ruthless online posts, the Hawks themselves may be starting to believe as much as well.
