Major Zaccharie Risacher question could determine his long-term Mavericks fate

One of the Dallas Mavericks' best moves of the summer was easily trading for Zaccharie Risacher. They only had to give up Ryan Nembhard and a future second-round pick to acquire the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, but there's already a glaring question that could ultimately determine if he'll stick in Dallas beyond his rookie contract.

Can he grow from an average shooter to a good shooter?

Through his first two seasons, Risacher's shooting has been the definition of average.

Why Dallas needs Risacher's shooting to improve

He has a career 3-point percentage of 36.8, with the league average over the last two years being 36 percent. This means that he is a slightly above-average shooter, but with how Dallas' roster is constructed, they're going to need him to be a better shooter to be a long-term fit alongside Cooper Flagg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Dereck Lively II.

These are the Mavericks' top three young players, and to put things lightly, none of them are strong shooters yet. Flagg shot 29.5 percent from three as a rookie, Lively II has never made a three in a regular-season game, and Johnson Jr. only shot 35 threes during his two-year college career. All of these attempts came during his sophomore year at Michigan.

This doesn't mean that Johnson Jr. can never develop into a floor spacer, and Flagg certainly has plenty of room to grow, but Dallas has to put as much shooting into their young core to be successful. The Mavs were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA last season, and they have to become better in this area if they want to be successful in the future with Flagg as their superstar.

Risacher has all the tools to be a long-term starter in Dallas. He has great size on the wing at 6-foot-8, finishes well in transition, cuts well, and has the intangibles to be a strong defender. The former Atlanta Hawk also has upside as a shooter; he just hasn't fully shown it yet.

Risacher's shooting has been average through two seasons

As a rookie, Risacher made at least five threes in six different games and even had four games in which he scored at least 30 points. He showed off his shooting and scoring as a rookie, helping him earn second place in Rookie of the Year voting.

This production decreased during his second season, though.

He only made at least five threes once and never had a 30-point game. Risacher also made one or fewer threes in 43 of the 67 games he played in.

He has to get his 3-point volume and percentage up to be a dream fit with Flagg, and the question of whether he will improve in this area could quickly determine what the Mavs do with him beyond his fourth season.

What improving as a shooter could do for Risacher

If Risacher can turn into a 40 percent 3-point shooter, Dallas would be in an amazing position. This would justify their decision to trade for him even more, and they would be able to utilize jumbo lineups in which he and Flagg share the floor together. It would also likely guarantee Risacher a featured spot in the young core.

But if Risacher can't improve from long range or struggles, his time in Dallas could be short-lived. They can't afford to shoot below 35 percent from three again next season, and in order to not fall into this trap again, they need everyone to improve from long range.

This includes Zaccharie Risacher.

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