Mavs Trade: 'Wrong' Or 'Right' On Ex No. 1 Pick Zaccharie Risacher? One Move Will Reveal Truth

In reviewing the Atlanta Hawks' remarks on their offseason trade of Zaccharie Risacher, I'm reminded of the '70's soulful love song by Luther Ingram.

(What, you don't think I'm "cool enough'' to like '70's soulful love songs?)

Onsi Saleh, Atlanta’s president of basketball operations, explained the move that sent the former No. 1 overall draft pick to the Dallas Mavs by saying ...

“Zacch did everything right for us. He was really good for us, and we wish him the best. He’s an unbelievable human being.''

OK ... but ... then, why did Atlanta trade him? 

And from a Dallas perspective, how fortunate are the Mavs to have acquired this "do-everything-right unbelievable human being'' for such a pittance?

Enter "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" ... because love is complicated.

The truth from the Dallas side? They are getting a young reclamation project on the cheap.

The Hawks sent the first overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to the Mavs in a three-team trade that moved Lu Dort from OKC to Atlanta. Atlanta also got Ryan Nembhard from Dallas and the Thunder received three second-round picks.

In short, "Zacch'' ain't Dort.

Dort won a championship with Oklahoma City in 2025, the same season he made the All-Defensive First Team and finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He averaged 8.3 points on 38.5% shooting last season, and the Thunder exercised his $17.7 million team option for 2026-27 on June 29, three weeks before the trade.

 “When you have an opportunity to trade for a guy that was first-team All-Defense, NBA champion, started for an NBA championship team,'' Saleh said. “And you have to give up value to get value in this league, too.''

Translation: In Atlanta's eyes, they really did sacrifice something in moving the 6-8 Risacher ... and the Mavs hope that proves to be so.

Risacher, still just 21, made the All-Rookie First Team in 2024-25 after averaging 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 75 games with 73 starts. Last season, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 67 games with 46 starts. ... and has fallen well short of stardom.

Said Risacher of his plan in his new home: “Just be myself. I want to win games. ... I feel like that’s the main thing ... I feel like it’s going to be great for me to be able to develop myself as a young player in this group and be able to showcase my skills offensively and defensively as well.”

The real test of how much Dallas values might be revealed in the coming month; Mavericks have until Oct. 31 to exercise Risacher’s fourth-year team option, worth roughly $17.4 million for 2027-28. Our prediction is that they will do so, proving that they "love'' him even more than the Hawks did.