The Atlanta Hawks have finally entered a full-scale rebuild.
For that, Quin Snyder will have the No. 1 pick to work with, and while this year’s draft class was far from impressive, he could still turn out to be a very good player.
Summer League is pretty much meaningless, but you can get a glimpse of some of the intangibles that could lead to a player having a successful career.
Those were most definitely there during Zaccharie Risacher’s debut.
The French forward was clearly on a mission to make a statement vs. his compatriot and fellow lottery pick, Alex Sarr, who most analysts had as the best prospect in this class.
Risacher dominated with 18 points, five rebounds, and three three-pointers, knocking down some big shots and looking poised and in control for most of the game.
No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher finishes his #NBA2KSummerLeague debut with 18 PTS, 5 REB & 3 3PM! pic.twitter.com/tjar8ea2qM
— NBA (@NBA) July 13, 2024
The Hawks’ offense should run through him next season and for years to come, although they still need to find a new home for Trae Young.
There wasn’t that much traction for their starting point guard early in the offseason, and the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers, the two teams linked with a move for him, didn’t do anything to get him.
Dejounte Murray is no longer there and Clint Capel has reportedly become available for a trade as well.
Those trade talks could get dragged all the way to the trade deadline, and the Hawks could gauge plenty of valuable assets for their veterans, all while Risacher leads the new era.
NEXT: Hawks Are Re-Signing Free Agent Guard
