It's not often that the Washington Wizards come out on the winning end, especially when you consider the team's ongoing bad luck over the course of the last few years.
However, looking back on the bullet they dodged in the 2024 NBA Draft, it's time to send the Atlanta Hawks a thank-you card for selecting Zaccharie Risacher No. 1 overall.
In an offseason where fans were extremely bummed out about the team missing out on the top pick in the NBA Draft after a brutal 82-game season, Washington still may have walked away with the best player in the entire draft at No. 2 overall.
And while Stephon Castle may have something to say about that claim, one thing is for sure: Washington should be extremely grateful that Risacher didn't end up in D.C.
Zaccharie Risacher has fallen out of the Hawks playoff rotation entirely
The Hawks are in a much different spot than the Wizards this season as they're currently tied 1-1 in the first-round series against the New York Knicks, courtesy of Washington's old friend CJ McCollum.
Still, the biggest takeaway from the first two games of the series isn't about how well the veteran guard has been playing for Atlanta, but more so about the player who isn't playing at all.
As a former No. 1 overall pick, you would think that Risacher could at least carve out a minimal role on a playoff team, especially considering how shorthanded the Hawks' frontcourt rotation is right now with Jock Landale.
Despite that, it seems that head coach Quin Snyder has completeley went away from the forward since the postseason began, and for fans who hoped the 21-year-old would eventually figure it out, that's not a great sign by any means.
To say it's shocking would be a lie, especially considering the rumors ahead of the NBA trade deadline that Atlanta was open to moving on from Risacher, but for a 6-foot-8 wing to seemingly be viewed as unplayable in this series, it should be a hard pill to swallow for the Hawks.
For the Wizards, though, Washington should be counting their blessings, with this being one of them.
Wizards are in a much better spot
It's safe to say that if Washington had walked away from the 2024 NBA Draft with Risacher instead of Alex Sarr, the team wouldn't have had the confidence to make a swing for the likes of Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the trade deadline.
Sarr has emerged as an extremely high-upside two-way player, and with Risacher struggling to carve out minutes, it's safe to say that it's less about playoff matchups and more about the fact that he's simply not developing how Atlanta hoped.
Obviously, Sarr's camp seemingly pushed the Hawks into making a different selection at No. 1 overall after declining to work out for them, but in terms of taking Risacher, Washington owes them one.
Then again, they may have already returned the favor with McCollum after Game 2 of the NBA playoffs.
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