After a humiliating playoff exit, the Atlanta Hawks' offseason future hinges on former top pick Zaccharie Risacher. Trade whispers intensify as his role diminishes.
Not many NBA fans might've picked the Atlanta Hawks to defeat the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs, but the way Atlanta lost the series was pretty embarrassing.
After having a 2-1 lead after game three, the Hawks lost game four by 16 points, lost game five by 29 points, and then were put out of their misery in a 51-point loss on Thursday night.
Directly after the loss, new reports began to surface surrounding the Hawks' offseason plans. One of those reports was by NBA reporter John Hollinger, who says the possibility of the Hawks trading Zaccharie Risacher 'can't be ruled out':
“He lost his starting job after the All-Star break and then his spot in the rotation in April. Getting him back on track to at least play rotation minutes should be a key organizational goal, and a trade can’t be ruled out.”
Risacher is a former No. 1 overall draft pick in 2024, and struggled to see meaningful playing time down the stretch of the 2025-26 season.
He averaged 9.6 points in his sophomore campaign on 45% shooting over 67 games. Risacher had an especially rough stretch around January-February, where he really struggled to score the basketball and lost his starting job.
Also, following the loss, Zaccharie Risacher spoke with media about his season, and his role with the Hawks:
“I feel like I just kept working, you know, I had to stay ready no matter what," Risacher said. "And that was what I feel like, that was the biggest adjustment for me, and like I said a little bit before, fighting through adversity is part of the job.”
What the Hawks decide to do with Risacher will be one of their major offseason storylines. After such a disastrous series of losses in the playoffs, some wholesale changes need to be made with the Hawks' roster.
Regardless of where Risacher plays in 2026-27, he will need to put together a strong season to get his career back on track, as important financial decisions about his future will need to be made.
Atlanta picked up his $13.8 million team option for next season, but he faces a final-year team option in 2027-28 worth $17.4 million. He jumps from 8.33% of the Hawks' cap to accounting for 10% in the final year of the deal if his option is exercised. He will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2028 if he doesn't get a contract extension before that time period.