Zaccharie Risacher's ugly debut hid a silver lining for the Mavericks

Zaccharie Risacher's regular-season debut with the Dallas Mavericks was not pretty, but his stat line doesn't tell the entire story.

Zaccharie Risacher struggled offensively in his Mavericks debut

After an up-and-down preseason for Dallas, he finished with four points and three turnovers while shooting 2-for-7 from the field and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc in a loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Both of Risacher's buckets came when the game was out of reach during the fourth quarter, which was a common occurrence for him during the preseason, but his game can't be completely judged on his turnovers and missed shots.

Risacher's rebounding and energy gave Dallas a silver lining

While his misses from long range were way off, and his turnovers were careless, Risacher's energy, rebounding, and defense were all positives. He finished with six rebounds and a career-high five steals in 27 minutes, and he was a +7. This was the second-highest plus/minus rating on the team, trailing only Daniel Gafford, and he at least showed a spark in his minutes.

Mavericks fans who expected Risacher to be a star for Dallas this season are going to be disappointed. He doesn't look like he's ready for a big role on offense and is likely best suited to come off the bench, but he can still provide a significant impact without big scoring nights.

Dusty May complimented Risacher's rebounding during training camp, and he shone in this area against the Rockets. He crashed the glass hard and hustled, and this could quickly become one of the best parts of his game.

Risacher could thrive in a smaller role

With his shot creation still needing a lot of work, the best role for him seems to be a scrappy, energy-packed player off the bench. He can bring good effort on defense, run the floor hard in transition, crash the glass, and shoot within the flow of the offense when needed.

Risacher was an average shooter over the first two years of his career in Atlanta, shooting 36 percent from three during this time, and this number could rise if he develops a better shot diet and lets others create for him. His jumper looks rushed off the dribble sometimes, and allowing Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving to create good looks for him should allow Risacher to settle into a complementary offensive role off the bench.

Risacher still has a long way to go, but there were some signs that he could be an impact player for the Mavericks in his first game. Energy or effort will seemingly never be a problem for him, and if he accepts a back-seat role off the bench, he could turn into a valuable piece for the team.

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