Zaccharie Risacher and Cooper Flagg give the Mavericks a dangerous transition duo

One of the best parts of Cooper Flagg's game during his rookie year for the Dallas Mavericks was his transition scoring. The young star loves to run in transition, as his speed, athleticism, and finishing around the basket make him difficult to stop when he had a full head of steam. Flagg was always a threat to throw down a big dunk on a fast break, and the numbers show how well he played in the open floor.

Coop averaged a rookie-high 5.4 transition points per game. This ranked 13th in the NBA, and he has even more room to grow in this area during the 2026-27 season.

Dallas enters this season with a completely revamped roster, with former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher being one of their marquee pickups. The Mavs acquired him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, and his speed in the open court will help him form a dangerous duo with Flagg in transition.

Zaccharie Risacher's speed gives the Mavs another transition threat

Following practice on Saturday, one of the most intriguing things Dusty May said was that Risacher was "one of the faster guys in the NBA." This hadn't been something that Mavericks fans talked about much after the trade, but it's certainly on the radar now after the head coach brought it up.

Risacher talked about the team wanting to play fast later that day, stating that playing fast is one of the stronger parts of his game. May has encouraged Risacher to push the ball in transition during training camp, and this will help his on-court duo with Flagg flourish.

While May has not revealed the Mavericks' starting five heading into the regular season, Risacher has a good chance to start alongside Flagg on the wing. Dallas' confidence in him has been clear since they traded for him, and he has the chance to become a foundational piece of the young core if he has a good season.

Why Cooper Flagg and Risacher will be dangerous together

Regardless of whether Risacher starts, though, he's likely going to spend a decent amount of time with Flagg on the court. Risacher is one of the best young forwards on the team, and he and Flagg are going to be difficult to slow down due to their shared love for running in transition.

Both players have the ability to bring the ball up the floor themselves after grabbing a defensive rebound, making them coast-to-coast threats in these situations. They also both like to finish above the rim when possible, and Kyrie Irving will have two fast forwards to pick between on either side of him when he is pushing the ball up the floor during the fast break.

Flagg and Risacher's length, athleticism, and speed will make them a strong pairing in the open floor, and Risacher's role is one of the most interesting storylines heading into the regular season. The Mavericks seem like the perfect fresh start for him after a rough ending to his time with the Atlanta Hawks, and his play in transition should end up being one of the best parts of his game.

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