The Atlanta Hawks are going to have a brand new search for this season. They traded Dejounte Murray for a bundle that included Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance and two first-round picks. In addition they gained the NBA draft lottery and used the primary choose to pick Zaccharie Risacher, a flexible French ahead with dimension, taking pictures and defensive potential that the Hawks badly wanted. There was plenty of dialogue about whether or not Risacher was price spending the primary choose on, however he fills a significant want for the Hawks and will be capable to slot in with Trae Younger on offense.
The Hawks are a staff that hopes to keep away from the play-in event and make the playoffs this season, however that would rely upon how a few of their youthful gamers carry out. Whether or not it is Risacher, Daniels, Jalen Johnson, or Onyeka Okongwu, they may elevate the Hawks’ ceiling in the event that they play effectively. When speaking in regards to the Hawks’ largest X-factor for the upcoming season, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report named Risacher:
“It will not be that easy for each staff, however the Atlanta Hawks’ possession of Zaccharie Risacher, the primary general choose within the 2024 draft, makes the choice fairly simple.
Greater than most top-flight picks, the 19-year-old is one thing of a clean slate. He stands at 6ft 1in and has reputable upside on each ends, however nobody appears sure he can turn out to be a star.
Whereas that is one approach to describe a low-level participant, the extra charitable interpretation of Risacher’s recreation is that he is so theoretically malleable and so expert in so many alternative areas that he has a number of paths to changing into an influence participant.
The Frenchman might be an incredible shooter and secondary facilitator as a combo ahead, and his dimension and intelligence recommend he’ll become a high quality defender. It stays to be seen how effectively he’ll be capable to create pictures independently, however with a three-and-D court docket, it is arduous to think about him being a failure.
The Hawks might not be fascinated with extending the Trae Younger period for a number of extra years…except Risacher turns into the sort of underutilized, gap-filling second star who enhances Younger’s one-sided recreation.
However, if Risacher actually is one thing greater than only a position participant, he might be the rationale Atlanta warms as much as the thought of shifting on.
Whereas I feel Risacher may find yourself being the X-factor for the Hawks this season, I’d argue that Dyson Daniels might be the X-factor.
Dejounte Murray is an effective participant, however he does not match effectively with the Hawks. He isn’t the defensive again they want subsequent to Trae Younger, and like Younger, he wants the ball in his fingers to be efficient. Daniels suits higher subsequent to Younger. He is already an elite perimeter defender, however it’s all about his means to constantly hit three-pointers on offense. If he can do this, he may elevate the Hawks and turn out to be their X-factor.
