Lineup change signals Hawks disenchantment with top pick

The Atlanta Hawks made Zaccharie Risacher the top pick in the 2024 draft. A recent lineup change indicates they may not be as excited about the 20-year-old forward anymore.

Risacher had started all 44 games he'd played in 2025-26 until four games ago, when Coach Quin Snyder replaced him in the starting lineup with CJ McCollum. The Hawks have won four straight since, while Risacher has only scored in double digits twice since Jan. 7.

Zaccharie Risacher was an unconventional No. 1 pick

Traditionally, the first overall pick in the NBA draft is elite in at least one area. Top picks are athletic marvels, seven-footers, unstoppable scorers or incredible passers. Risacher was none of those. Instead, he was chosen for his versatility, basketball IQ and solid shooting — plus No. 2 overall pick, center Alex Sarr, refused to meet with the Hawks.

This season, Risacher's scoring has dropped to 10.1 PPG as he's shooting worse on three-pointers, free throws and at the rim. He's not a great ballhandler or passer (1.3 assists), doesn't rebound well, lacks a quick first step and doesn't shoot pull-ups. When he's shooting 34.5 percent from three-point range, he's simply not a starting-caliber player.

The Hawks were already closing games with Risacher on the bench, but removing him from the starting lineup was a clear sign that Snyder and the organization are frustrated with his progress. He's still only 20 years old, but he's trending in the wrong direction.

Atlanta Hawks acquired two other forwards this season

The Hawks picked up forward Jonathan Kuminga at the trade deadline in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors. He's scored 64 points in three games with the Hawks, almost as many as Risacher scored in the entire month of February (71 in 10 games).

Corey Kispert came over in the Trae Young trade. He's shooting 37 percent on threes and averaging 10.6 points since becoming a Hawk. With Dyson Daniels a non-threat from distance (0.2 threes per game) and All-Star Jalen Johnson below-average behind the arc, Kispert's shooting is especially valuable.

It's too early for the Hawks to give up on Risacher, but it's probably too late for him to be a useful contributor this season. He simply hasn't been a positive for a Hawks team that's only 2.5 games out of sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Maybe moving to the bench will take some pressure off the young Frenchman. Perhaps Risacher will get stronger and his shot will improve as he gets older. As of now, it's hard to imagine the Hawks still think of their top pick as a franchise cornerstone.