The Chicago Bulls are getting ready to kick off a new era. Bryson Graham will now be calling the shots, and as such, the team could look to make the most of his previous connections to bolster the roster.
Graham spent well over a decade with the New Orleans Pelicans before spending one year with the Atlanta Hawks. As such, the door is open for the Bulls to steal some talent from an Eastern Conference foe.
Considering that, and given how Zaccharie Risacher has struggled to get consistent playing time in Atlanta, maybe it's not that far-fetched to think that the Bulls could look to throw him a lifeline with a trade.
Should the Bulls consider trading for Zaccharie Risacher?
Graham joined the Hawks in 2025, so he wasn't there when they drafted Risacher with the No. 1 pick in 2024. The Hawks would've probably taken Alex Sarr if he hadn't snubbed them in the pre-draft process, but Risacher, while not the most promising guy, looked like a high-floor prospect anyway.
The French forward showed some glimpses as a rookie. He averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds,1.2 assists, and 1.6 three-pointers per game on 45/35/71 shooting splits in just under 25 minutes. Unfortunately, he couldn't keep that momentum going in year two, taking a backseat to Jalen Johnson and being left out of the rotation late in the season.
Watching a former No. 1 pick pile up DNP-CDs in his second year in the league speaks volumes. It's hard to believe things will get better for him as long as Quin Snyder is calling the shots there, especially with Johnson playing heavy minutes at both forward spots. The Hawks seem to have given up on him, and with a direct line of communication with Chicago, the Bulls should explore a trade if the price is right.
Granted, whoever coaches the Bulls will inherit a team with two first-round picks, plus Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, so there might not necessarily be many minutes or opportunities for Risacher, either.
That said, the Bulls should be a rebuilding team, and those must stack as much talent as possible. He may only need a change of scenery to get his confidence back and his legs back under him, and there's no downside to giving him an opportunity to showcase his skills.
Risacher doesn't have the sky-high ceiling of most No. 1 picks, and he might be just a victim of the circumstances and expectations. The class of 2024 was historically unimpressive, and perhaps he would've been better off as a late-lottery pick. Instead, he got all the spotlight and wasn't put in a position to succeed.
The Hawks have essentially let the rest of the league know that they don't think he can help them win big games. So, if the Bulls can work something out and avoid giving up a first-round selection to get him, that's a move they should definitely explore.
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