With the Selection of Zaccharie Risacher, What's Next for DeAndre Hunter in Atlanta?

The Hawks' selection of Risacher will likely affect Hunter's future as an Atlanta Hawk.

Mar 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) dribbles the basketball during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

When the Hawks took JL Bourg forward Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick, they indirectly relegated DeAndre Hunter to the bench for next season. Is that something the Hawks are comfortable with?

The fifth-year wing posted career-highs in points (15.6), rebounds (3.9), three-point percentage (38.5%) and three-point attempts (5.3) across the 57 games he played. He did a lot of positive things for Atlanta this season, especially coming off the bench. Finding wings who can shoot and play solid defense is not an easy thing to do and Hunter brings all three skills to any lineup he is a part of.

By selecting Risacher, Hunter is essentially going to have to become a high-level role player. Even if he gets starts over Risacher to begin, the Hawks' ideal starting lineup (barring a Murray/Young trade) would probably have Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Clint Capela/Onyeka Okongwu. I actually think a bench role would maximize Hunter's contributions to the Hawks. He played some of his best basketball in that role last season. Reducing his minutes also reduces the likelihood of injury, which have unfortunately played a big role in his career.

One game that particularly stands out as a testament to what Hunter can do in a bench role is the Clippers game. In the 149-144 loss, Hunter scored 27 points, pulled down seven boards and dished out three assists while recording a plus-minus of +3. He was a part of holding Paul George to only 18 points and went 10-12 from the field, showing off his defensive skill and efficiency. While you cannot expect the same performance in every game off the bench, I think it would be reasonable to expect Hunter to average 15+ points and a three-point percentage over 35% on good volume. It gives them a good insurance option on nights where Risacher's shot isn't falling.

The reason why Atlanta may not be interested in doing that is because of Hunter's contract. The terms of his contract are below, per Spotrac:

Season (Age)	Cap Hit
2024-25 (27)	$21,696,429
2025-26 (28)	$23,303,571
2026-27 (29)	$24,910,714

Looking at the contracts of other sixth men around the league like Malik Monk and Naz Reid, these cap hits are definitely higher. Reid has cap hits of $12 million, $14 million and $15 million (player option). Monk just signed his 4-year, $78 million contract, so the specific details aren't known yet. Still, his contract is estimated to have cap hits of $17 million, $18 million, $20 million and a player option for $21.5 million. Should Hunter make significantly more than those players? It's an interesting argument to make. He plays the most valuable position out of all three and had a better shooting season than Monk last year. However, I do think his season was not as strong as Reid. The Hawks front office could see his contract as too significant for a sixth-man role.

If they decided to move Hunter, how much value could they get back? I think you could get a first-round pick with some protections in a straight-up trade, but it's far more intriguing to consider the possibilities of him being included in a three-team trade. His salary is significant enough to work for salary-matching purposes and could be included with other pieces in a Brandon Ingram trade. I do not see an Ingram trade as likely, considering Risacher's selection, but it is an example of the type of players Atlanta could acquire by using Hunter's salary.

The only factors working against his trade value are his injury history and questions about his upside. I think the chances of him being a star are slim and the multiple knee injuries are concerning, but his talent is a good fit on a lot of NBA teams. He is not much of a playmaker, but his shooting and defense are valuable and worth taking the swing on.

If I had to predict what happens with Hunter, I think Atlanta could look to move him at the trade deadline or next off-season depending on how Risacher is producing. He has value on this roster as a sixth man, bench scorer and defender. If he has another season like this one, he could become a very valuable asset, especially for teams deficient on wing production. Still, I think there is a very limited chance that he finishes his contract as a Hawk.