Dallas traded Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta for Zaccharie Risacher, clearing the backup point guard job for rookie Sergio De Larrea heading into camp.
DALLAS — Trading away Ryan Nembhard just three weeks after guaranteeing his contract says plenty about how the Dallas Mavericks view Sergio De Larrea.
Dallas sent Ryan Nembhard to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday as part of a three-team trade that also included the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavericks acquired former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta, while Oklahoma City sent Lu Dort to the Hawks in exchange for three second-round picks.
The Mavericks picked up Nembhard's near $2.2 million team option on June 29 after the undrafted Gonzaga guard put together a promising rookie campaign. However, the timing of Sunday's trade only three weeks later is particularly telling.
Dallas' confidence in De Larrea didn't start in Las Vegas. The Mavericks made him a priority on draft night, moving up from the No. 30 selection to acquire the No. 25 overall pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team trade, sending out the draft rights to Koa Peat, Melvin Ajinça, and two second-round picks to get their guy.
De Larrea validated the belief at Summer League, averaging 8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in four performances. He broke the Mavericks' Summer League single-game assist record twice, first with 12 against the Memphis Grizzlies, then 14 against the Thunder. He displayed the impressive combination of pace, vision, and decision-making that made him one of Europe's most intriguing young guards. Beyond the box score, he effectively controlled the offense, manipulating pick-and-roll coverages, keeping teammates involved, and rarely looking rushed against a much faster level of competition than he'd faced in Spain.
Mavericks summer league coach Joe Boylan already has an eye on what's next for him, pointing to a more prevalent use of switching by NBA defenses requiring him to attack in one-on-one situations.
“I think the next step for him will probably be I think a lot of teams will be so scared of him playing in pick-and-roll against coverage that he'll face a lot more switching in the regular season,” Boylan said. “There will be opportunities for him to create one-on-one and go finish at the rim and finish contested layups. I think that's going to be the next step in his growth.” Boylan wasn't questioning whether De Larrea could run an offense. He was already talking through the adjustments once defenses stop letting him play downhill so easily.
Former Mavericks two-way contract forward Tyler Smith shared the backcourt with him in that Thunder win.
“Playing with Sergio, he made it a lot easier on the court,” Smith said. “When you have 14 assists and nine rebounds, there's not many rebounds out there for me to get when the point guard is out there getting nine of them. But like we say, we want to play fast. And 14 assists kind of helps me out as well.”
Nembhard's track record remains despite the Mavericks' faith in De Larrea, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and became a solid backup, averaging 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and setting the franchise's single-game assist record with 23 against the Bulls.
De Larrea, a 6-foot-8 point guard, enters training camp behind Kyrie Irving. His size offers May a different look on the perimeter, enabling Irving to focus on scoring and reducing pressure on Flagg as a point forward. As a 6-foot guard, Nembhard naturally does not provide that level of versatility.
Risacher's arrival will draw most of the attention from Sunday's trade, but the more revealing part might be how easily Dallas moved on from Nembhard just weeks after guaranteeing his money.
The Mavericks clearly already believed in De Larrea enough to trade up for him on draft night. After seeing him play in four Summer League games, he further validated why.
