The Mavericks’ preseason stumble against the Pelicans on Wednesday didn’t exactly move the needle on panic, and that’s because Dallas still has bigger-picture reasons to feel good about where this group is headed.
A 101-97 loss at American Airlines Center dropped the Mavericks to 1-2, but the mood around the team remains tied to what’s coming next: Cooper Flagg’s continued rise in his second year and Kyrie Irving’s long-awaited return from an ACL injury.
There’s also a new name drawing attention in Dallas - Zaccharie Risacher, whom the Mavericks picked up in a three-team trade with the Atlanta Hawks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in July.
Mavericks coach Dusty May on Zaccharie Risacher’s characteristics that can help them play winning basketball:
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) October 14, 2026
“The things that he’s been able to hang his hat on consistently: the offensive rebounding piece and running the lanes in transition…Him as an off-ball cutter, he made… pic.twitter.com/58lsulVeKH
After the game, Dusty May zeroed in on the 21-year-old wing’s most useful traits, pointing to the ways he can affect a game even when the box score isn’t clean.
“The things that he's been able to hang his hat on consistently: The offensive rebounding piece and running the lanes in transition,” said May in the video posted by The Smoking Cuban's Noah Weber.
“Him as an off-ball cutter. He made open shots.
He just looked extremely comfortable. Just picking his spots, understanding who's on the floor each and every possession.
He's someone who can impact the game in a lot of ways.”
Risacher finished with six points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and one block in 23 minutes. The shot chart was rough, though, as he went 3-of-11 from the floor and missed all seven of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Even with that kind of line, Dallas appears convinced there’s more here. Risacher still hasn’t matched the billing that comes with being the No. 1 pick in 2024, and the Mavericks are banking on a change of scenery helping him tap into the upside that’s been waiting underneath the surface.
The production hasn’t fully arrived yet, but May’s praise makes one thing clear: Dallas sees a player who can help in more than one way.
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For the Mavericks, the wrinkle is less about the name value of the deal than the roster math it could trigger. Dwight Powells return would require room, which means Dallas may have to make a decision somewhere else on the bench, and that is where the squeeze starts to matter. Hardys fit is easy enough to imagine in a second unit that could use more scoring, but the question is whether the Mavericks are ready to reshuffle bodies to make the move work. [Read more 🡒]
Moussa Cisse Is Making The Mavericks' Toughest Cut Decision Harder
Moussa Cisse turned the Mavericks third preseason game into a little more than another October tune-up, and in the process made Dallas roster math a lot more complicated. The young big man outperformed Dwight Powell in that outing, showing the kind of defensive activity and athleticism that can catch a staffs eye when the back end of the roster is still unsettled.
Powell still brings the sort of veteran leadership and basketball IQ that teams value when deciding who can help over the long haul, but the Mavericks have not locked in their final group yet. With both players still waiting on a decision, the competition has become one of the more intriguing questions hanging over camp. [Read more 🡒]