The Atlanta Hawks completed the Zaccharie Risacher trade, sending him to the Mavericks and landing defensive ace Luguentz Dort plus guard Ryan Nembhard in return.
Now, Atlanta Hawks fans can officially say it: With the number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher was a bust.
That's not to say he can't turn his career around. Risacher is still young. A resurgence is entirely possible, but it won't happen with the Hawks.
They just sent him to the Dallas Mavericks in a three-team deal that has the Oklahoma City Thunder's Luguentz Dort heading to Atlanta.
Hawks Acquire Veteran Defensive Ace
That's right.
The Risacher era is over. This is undeniably disappointing for Atlanta. Nobody expects to pick a player with the first overall pick, only to move him for a role player two summers later. Normally, that draft slot yields a star player.
Yet, nobody anticipates landing a franchise-caliber player with the 20th overall selection either. That's what the Hawks did when they drafted Jalen Johnson in 2021. So, it makes sense to surround him with complementary role players.
Dort is exactly that. Everyone knows he's a defensive ace. Dort is one of the premier perimeter defenders in the NBA. His three-point shooting has been inconsistent, but given his level of defensive value, his career 35.8% mark is acceptable.
Was he the right target for the Hawks?
Hawks Make Smart Trade to Acquire Dort
It should be mentioned that the Hawks also landed Ryan Nembhard in this deal. He flashed some potential during his rookie year with the Mavericks in 2025-26. Nembhard averaged 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. At 5-foot-11, his NBA ceiling may be capped, but he's skilled enough to be a rotation player.
Still, Dort is the highlight here. He'll be a fixture in Atlanta's starting lineup this year. This was a good deal from a basketball perspective, but it was even better in terms of the team's salary sheet.
Dort's $17.7M deal expires at the end of the season. The Hawks can decide what to do then. If they like him, they can likely retain him at a lower dollar value moving forward.
Moreover, they avoid the potential headache of figuring out Risacher's deal down the line. Draft pedigree can influence those negotiations, and giving Risacher a hefty contract could be a major problem unless he takes a significant leap forward.
So, this deal makes sense on several levels. It was a smart move — even if the optics of sending out a recent number one pick for a role player are less than ideal.
