The Atlanta Hawks have been heavily linked to Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis lately, and it appears they are willing to give up Zaccharie Risacher for him. NBA insider Marc Stein reports that Jalen Johnson and the unprotected first-round pick that the Hawks got from the New Orleans Pelicans would be the only assets off the table in a Davis trade.
“The Hawks nonetheless do appear to be the most determined suitor for Davis at this juncture with just under six weeks to go until the Feb. 5 trade buzzer.
“It is also increasingly believed that Atlanta is willing to surrender Zaccharie Risacher in the proverbial right scenario, since the No. 1 overall pick in the draft just 18 months ago has not developed as the Hawks would have hoped to this point. Yet even if the Hawks are prepared to package Risacher with the expiring contracts held by Kristaps Porziņģis and Luke Kennard for Davis, it is unclear how much additional draft compensation they would be willing (or able) to add to the deal to convince the Mavericks part with Davis in-season.
“Just to be clear once again: Jalen Johnson and the 2026 unprotected first-round pick that the Hawks acquired from New Orleans to set the Pelicans up to draft Derik Queen are widely presumed to be untouchables from Atlanta’s perspective.”
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Hawks star Trae Young is unlikely to be in the package either, should a deal materialize. Haynes states that the Mavericks would likely want expiring deals, young assets, and draft picks for Davis.
Risacher, the first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, is a young asset, but he has failed to live up to expectations so far. The Frenchman had a solid but unspectacular rookie season, averaging 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game.
Risacher finished runner-up for Rookie of the Year to San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, and there was hope that he’d take a leap as a sophomore. We have seen Castle do that, as he is averaging 18.6 points and 7.0 assists, but not him.
Risacher has put up just 10.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game in 2025-26. He has had some good moments, but nothing too special.
To be fair to Risacher, it has felt like he hasn’t always been put in a position to succeed. Head coach Quin Snyder doesn’t appear to be his biggest fan, so a change of scenery might do him good.
You do wonder just how much the Hawks regret selecting Risacher now. It’s important to keep in mind that he might not have even been their top choice at the time. Alex Sarr was generally viewed as the best prospect in that class, but he declined a pre-draft workout with the Hawks.
That could well be the only reason why Risacher ended up being the first pick. With him not really making a splash so far, it’s hard to say if the Mavericks or any other team, for that matter, still view him as a valuable asset. Time will tell if they do.
As for Davis, you can see why the Hawks want him. They have been woeful defensively lately, with their 120.4 defensive rating in December ranking 27th in the NBA.
A defensive anchor like Davis could certainly elevate the Hawks. The 32-year-old is averaging 20.5 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game for the Mavericks in 2025-26.
A player of Davis’ caliber would usually fetch a significant haul, but the injury factor brings his value down a fair bit. He is currently sidelined with a groin strain and has only played in 16 out of 33 games for the Mavericks this season. So, there is a fair bit of risk involved here for the Hawks. Bringing in Davis could blow up spectacularly in their face.
