Hawks make major move with second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher

As expected, the Atlanta Hawks have exercised their 2026-27 rookie-scale team option on second-year forward Zaccharie Risacher, ensuring 2024’s No. 1 overall pick will earn $13,826,040 next season, per a team announcement.

Risacher got off to a slow start during his rookie season in 2024-25, averaging 10.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in his first 38 NBA games (23.6 minutes contest), with a shooting line of just .400/.283/.707.

However, the French wing was far more efficient from that point on, averaging 14.9 PPG and 3.6 RPG on .518/.418/.717 shooting over his final 35 games of last season (25.7 MPG).

Risacher, 20, has been slowed by a right ankle sprain this fall that caused him to miss two of Atlanta’s five games. He has averaged 8.7 PPG on .400/.300/.750 shooting in the early going of his second season.

We’re still waiting on a handful of decisions from teams regarding 2026-27 rookie-scale team options. Those decisions are due by Friday.