Zaccharie Risacher showed enough in preseason to keep Dallas interested, but not enough to force his way into the Mavericks’ starting five when the real games begin.
That’s the central truth heading into Wednesday night’s opener against the Houston Rockets. Risacher had his moments for Dallas, flashing the kind of cutter’s burst and off-the-dribble creation that made the trade intriguing. But over the full preseason, the production never quite matched the promise, and head coach Dusty May would be better off leaning another way to start the season.
The hesitation starts with the basics of Risacher’s game. He can knife into space as a cutter and beat weaker defenders with the ball in his hands, but his perimeter shot is only average and his defense still needs work. He can handle some bigger wings, yet he doesn’t have the strength for the truly physical matchups, and he isn’t quick enough to comfortably track smaller, more explosive guards.
That’s why the safer play is Max Christie.
Christie shot better than 40 percent from three last season and gives Dallas a much sturdier answer at the point of attack. That matters on a wing-heavy roster, especially with Cooper Flagg and P.J.
Washington almost locked into starting spots. Risacher’s clearest path to steady minutes may actually be by sliding to the two, but even there, Christie has the cleaner case right now.
Dallas did well to get Risacher at the price it paid - Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick - and there’s no question he belongs in the young core the Mavericks are trying to build. But right now, he’s still working through the growing pains that come with being a 21-year-old trying to carve out a role on a team with real rotation competition.
There’s also the context of where Dallas is as a franchise. The Mavericks are trying to develop around Flagg while still having 34-year-old Kyrie Irving on the roster, and they don’t fully control their first-round picks over the next few years. That makes every rotation decision a little more complicated, and it raises the stakes for getting the balance right between upside and reliability.
Risacher should absolutely remain part of the plan. He’s talented enough to be in the rotation, and Dallas clearly sees a future there. But until he becomes more consistent on both ends, or the roster changes shape, Christie is the more dependable starter at shooting guard - and the better bet to help the Mavericks win now.
One more thing stands out from preseason: a lot of Risacher’s best offensive stretches came when the game was already out of hand. That’s useful footage, but it doesn’t answer the tougher question.
Can he do it when the possessions matter? Until he proves that, the starting job should stay with Christie.
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Mavericks Still Have One Intriguing Question As Opening Night Nears
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Even with that optimism, the most basic lineup question has not been answered yet. May is still sorting through his options and says he will wait until closer to game time before settling on a starting five, which leaves one of the Mavericks' most important decisions unresolved just as the regular season is about to begin. [Read more 🡒]