Mavericks' new offense should give Zaccharie Risacher an edge to start

The Dallas Mavericks' starting five is unsettled, and newly appointed head coach Dusty May even went as far as to say it won't be settled anytime soon. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean one player vying for a starting role doesn't have an inside track. Zaccharie Risacher. With Dallas skewing bigger and playing faster, Risacher could be one of the players who benefits most from the change.

Zaccharie Risacher's size fits what Dallas' new leadership wants

For starters, the former No. 1 overall pick stands 6-foot-8, so he's more of a true forward than anything else. Risacher is taller than just about every Mavericks wing besides the 6-foot-9 (maybe taller?) Cooper Flagg. But with so many forwards already in tow, Risacher's shooting ability comfortably allows him to slide down to the two spot.

With that being said, why is Risacher's height so important? Well… It's because both May and team president Masai Ujiri prioritize height and length.

May notably led the jumbo-sized Michigan Wolverines, whose best player, 6-foot-9, 240-pound Yaxel Lendeborg, suited up at small forward and acted as a primary initiator. Meanwhile, Ujiri's calling card has been assembling multiple rangy wings to deploy in his lineups, as seen during the Toronto Raptors' 2019 NBA Championship run, led by Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam.

Risacher's height stands out, and more so than Dallas' predecessor at the two-guard spot, Max Christie, who stands 6-foot-5. While Christie is the better career 3-point shooter than Risacher, which Dallas assuredly covets, he's not as long or as much of a transition threat as Risacher.

Dusty May's fast-paced offense could unlock Zaccharie Risacher

Which brings us to the second point. May wants to play fast and fluidly. At Michigan, the Wolverines shared the ball at a high rate and played at a top-50 pace despite deploying their massive lineup. Right out of the gate after taking the job in Dallas, May reiterated that he wants "to be the best passing team in the NBA," but also "play at a top-five pace."

Okay, so Risacher isn't some elite transition weapon or advanced secondary playmaker... yet. But the potential is certainly there. Christie actually bested Risacher in most transition statistics a season ago despite slightly less volume. Still, in Risacher's rookie campaign, when his confidence was more evident, he was one of the better transition players, ranking top-50 in transition points per game and shooting 54.7 percent on such attempts.

Moreover, as Dallas' training camp has commenced, he's already earned a rave review from Flagg, who called him the "most in-shape guy right now" after stating he's even more athletic than he realized. Also, a coast-to-coast highlight slam has already garnered attention online, showcasing both Risacher's athletic ability and his grab-and-go potential, which is an important aspect of May's offensive scheme.

With new leadership in charge, pretty much every starting spot is up for grabs besides Flagg's and Kyrie Irving's. While we can't necessarily predict the other three starters yet, taking into account both May's and Ujiri's quintessential beliefs points to Risacher as holding the inside track for the Mavericks' starting shooting guard spot.

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