Last week we ran a poll asking a kind of complicated question that had two possible answers: which big Dallas Mavericks trade did you think was better? The big, eventual multi-team trade for Santi Aldama and the rights to Tarik Biberovic or the Mavericks trading for former Atlanta Hawk and number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher?
Fans ended up in a somewhat divided place, with 62% of fans voting for Aldama and the rights to Biberovic and the other 38% siding with the Risacher deal. First, it should
be noted that both of these trades on their own are excellent business for the Mavericks. On the Aldama deal, they get a good look at a player that’s improved every season as well as the rights for a top-tier European shooter (who they then signed to an amazing deal). With Risacher, they traded a former UDFA for the former number one overall pick.
I also asked this question because at the time, I was considering it as well. After a few days and reading the comments to the poll, I’ve settled on the Aldama trade. The deciding factor for me ended up being the team option in next year’s deal for Aldama. He’s a player about to enter his athletic prime, so being able to have him in house for up to two seasons to consider what’s next is a big deal. This is a very underrated player.
Risacher’s challenge lies with where he was drafted above all else. If he were the 17th pick this STILL would be good business due to what Dallas sent out, but they also have to decide on his player option for the 2027-28 season very soon and that’s annoying given that he won’t have played in a Dallas uniform yet. But he’s not yet shown anything in the NBA, so perhaps Dallas opts in a gives him a two-season look while having him as a potentially large expiring contract NEXT season. And hey, he’s sitting at +10000 over at FanDuel for Most Improved Player next year, so that’s something to look forward to if you’re the very hopeful type.
