The Washington Wizards keep collecting proof that they came out ahead in the 2024 NBA Draft, and the latest development came at the expense of the Atlanta Hawks.
Atlanta’s former No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher, is on the move again. In a three-team deal reported by ESPN, the Hawks are sending Risacher to the Dallas Mavericks, while the Oklahoma City Thunder are trading All-Defensive wing Lu Dort to Atlanta and receiving three second-round picks. Ryan Nembhard is headed to Atlanta as part of the package.
That trade adds another twist to a draft story that has already swung Washington’s way. Alex Sarr, who was widely viewed as the favorite to go first in that class, had pushed his way to the Wizards during the pre-draft process instead of landing with Atlanta. The Hawks, left to pivot, took Risacher and bet on his long-term upside as a still-developing 3&D wing.
The early returns have only sharpened the contrast. Risacher out-finished Sarr in last season’s Rookie of the Year race, but his sophomore season has been rocky, and his promise as a connective forward has faded.
Sarr, meanwhile, has steadied himself after an uneven start. His scoring has held up despite the heavy defensive load he carries, and that has helped cement his standing as Washington’s center of the future.
Sarr’s rookie year had its obvious rough edges. His struggles as a finisher and as a floor-spacer were easy to spot.
But he also showed the kind of bounce-back that matters in a rebuild, and the Wizards have clearly bought into the improvements he said he would make last Media Day. He has become the most important non-AJ Dybantsa prospect in the organization’s young group, and he is set to anchor the paint in D.C. alongside Anthony Davis.
The move also sets up another layer to this story down the line. Sarr should see Risacher again soon, only now it will be in Mavericks matchups. Dallas, the same franchise that beat Washington for the 2025 draft lottery and the chance to pick Cooper Flagg, now has another player Sarr has already learned to shine against.
And the Wizards’ case only looks stronger when you factor in Trae Young. Young has already shown sympathy for Risacher after his exit from Atlanta, writing on Risacher’s goodbye Instagram post: “My boy free!
Go fly killa! 🤞🏽”
For Washington, the broader picture is simple: the Sarr decision keeps looking better, and Atlanta’s latest roster shuffle only adds to that verdict.
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Mavericks Just Made The Anthony Davis Trade Look Worse For Themselves
When Washington sent Anthony Davis to Dallas, the Mavericks came away with a traded player exception that gave them some flexibility to reshape the roster later. That kind of asset can be useful in the right deal, especially for a team trying to recover value after a major trade, and its the sort of mechanism front offices often point to as part of the return even when the headline player is gone.
Dallas has now put that exception to work in a move that has drawn mixed reaction around the league, and it only adds another layer to how the Davis deal is being judged. The Mavericks were already under pressure to show they had gotten enough back, and the latest transaction has only intensified the debate over whether using that flexibility this way was the best path forward. [Read more 🡒]
Trae Young Just Brought More Knicks Drama To Washington
Trae Youngs arrival in Washington was supposed to be about a fresh start, a new backcourt, and a franchise trying to climb out of the rebuild with a proven point guard at the controls. After seven and a half seasons in Atlanta, he signed on with the Wizards and immediately became the most recognizable name in a room built around development, patience and the hope that one veteran can help accelerate the process.
Instead, Young has already reminded everyone that his Knicks storyline travels with him. He recently posted a video of himself cruising around New York while revisiting his old highlights against the Knicks, a familiar bit of theater from a player who has long leaned into that rivalry. For Washington, it is another glimpse of the edge and personality it is getting, even if the bigger question remains how that swagger fits with a team trying to build something steadier around him. [Read more 🡒]