One of the more intriguing teams to watch at the trade deadline is the Atlanta Hawks. The team has lost seven straight games, falling to 10th position in the Eastern Conference with a 15-19 record. The organization expected more, especially after making some notable additions in the off-season. As trade rumors continue swirling, a former Sixth Man of the Year believes the Hawks may need to trade one of their top young players.
Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year’s Bold Trade Proposition for the Hawks
Three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner Lou Williams believes the Hawks should consider making 2024 number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher available as they pursue a big trade to upgrade the roster.
While discussing the Hawks on the Run It Back Podcast, Williams said, “Gotta sacrifice something, especially if you gonna go out there and try to hit home runs, and try to get superstar level players. You gotta sacrifice something, and you gotta be willing to play ball.
“If you’re trying to go out and get an AD or you wanna have a conversation about the Ja Morants and LaMelo Balls and those caliber of players in our league, there’s gonna be some names come up that you’re gonna have to be able to give.”
The Hawks should consider trading Zaccharie Risacher, says Lou Williams 😳
“Gotta sacrifice something… if you’re trying to get AD, Ja Morant or Lamelo Ball, there’s gonna be some names you have to give up.”@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/XBHPo46TyN
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 30, 2025
The first overall pick in last year’s draft, Risacher is averaging 10.7 points per game, while shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.3% from three. Many scouts and analysts considered the 2024 draft class to be a weaker one than previous years, with very few immediate-impact players.
As such, Risacher was viewed as a long-term prospect. Even franchise player Trae Young said that it would take time for Risacher to develop into a core piece. However, Risacher has fallen down the list of the Hawks’ top young players behind Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and potentially even Vit Krejčí, which is why Williams argues that he could be expendable if the Hawks want to acquire an All-Star.
The Hawks are reportedly interested in Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, which is essentially an indictment of Kristaps Porzingis. The Hawks acquired the former All-Star and NBA champion this past July, hoping he’d complement Young. While Porzingis is averaging 19.2 points per game, he hasn’t provided the defensive upgrade the Hawks were hoping for.
Williams also mentioned the Hawks’ explosive trades for the Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Ja Morant and the Charlotte Hornets’ guard LaMelo Ball, which is a shot at Young. Many insiders believe the Hawks are ready to move on, as Johnson may have surpassed Young as the Hawks’ franchise player. Young is also in the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a $48.9 million player option next season.
It appears that significant changes are on the horizon for the Hawks soon.
