The NBA can be a cold, ruthless place. Just ask Zaccharie Risacher, whom the Atlanta Hawks made the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. While he managed to sneak his way onto the All-Rookie team, Risacher’s stock hasn’t exactly risen since.
Then there’s Lu Dort, one of the NBA’s best defenders, and a key piece of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship team from the 2024-25 season. Now, they’re changing teams as the result of a trade, and the NBA world is going wild.
NBA World In Disbelief Over Dort-Risacher Trade
There’s a lot to pore over here. For one, why would the Thunder trade arguably their best defender for just three measly second-round picks? As ESPN’s Shams Charania notes, it’s all about the money. Along with trading Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder have now saved $224 million this offseason.
Dort worked his way up from an undrafted rookie in 2019 to one of the NBA’s best defenders. Unsurprisingly, some Thunder fans are “heartbroken” to move on from a hard-working key member of their core who’s improved so much from year-to-year.
One fan wrote on X, “I’m actually heartbroken,” which is certainly an understandable reaction considering the impact Dort had.
I’m actually heartbroken https://t.co/IGpSFFFRjZ
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) July 19, 2026
As hard as it is for Thunder fans to say goodbye, some would argue that they’ll be fine. But the Hawks are giving up on their first-round pick, just two years after selecting him as the No. 1 overall pick? That’s just cold.
Another fan wrote on X, “Was not expecting this.”
WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS 🤯 https://t.co/kBgojSDDw7
— ThunderChats (@ThunderChats) July 19, 2026
Renowned sports analyst Kenny Beecham also weighed in on the OKC-Hawks trade. He wrote,”First pick getting traded for that is nasty. Wow.”
First pick getting traded for that is nasty. Wow https://t.co/6FVzABVtEn
— KENNY BEECHAM (@KOT4Q) July 19, 2026
Nekias Duncan, a basketball analyst, wrote, “Dort headlining a Risacher trade is just not something I ever would’ve guessed.”
Many are in disbelief that such a recent No. 1 overall pick could get traded for such a low price. Risacher clearly hasn’t developed into a star in Atlanta, but clearly, teams like the Mavericks still believe in the 6-foot-8 forward’s upside. While his shooting and overall scoring ability are still a work in progress, Risacher showed growth last season.
He improved from shooting just 35.5% on 3-pointers as a rookie to 36.8% last season (albeit on fewer attempts). His effective field goal percentage also climbed by seven percent. Yet, that may not have been enough growth to satisfy Atlanta’s front office.
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Now the Mavericks are taking a chance on him, furthering that development alongside Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, and they’re not giving up much to do so (Ryan Nembhard and a 2027 second-round pick from Chicago). Overall, it feels like a worthy gamble for Dallas.
Yet, fans in Oklahoma City and Atlanta are still wondering whether their front offices could have fetched a bigger or better trade package elsewhere. Chances are, this is the best offer available.
