Zachary Lizacher Traded to Dallas Mavericks
You might not have heard much about Zachary Lizacher since he was picked first overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. After spending two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, he’s already on the move again.
On Sunday, another trade went down, sending the 21-year-old to the Dallas Mavericks, which seems to cut Atlanta’s hopes short after a significant gamble.
Interestingly, major NBA trades won’t truly kick off until the league wraps up its investigation into various teams over salary cap violations.
In this latest trade, Atlanta brought in Lou Dort from Oklahoma City, while the Thunder received two second-round picks. The Mavericks gained Lizacher along with guard Ryan Nembhard from the Hawks.
It’s not common for top draft picks to vanish from their teams this quickly. Sure, there are trades and swaps happening so fast they seem to stretch reality. Remember Andrew Wiggins? He was dealt by the Cavaliers just 57 days after the draft. But having the top pick traded away for basketball reasons just two years later? That’s pretty rare.
It’s worth noting that in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Wizards picked AJ Divanza first overall.
Lizacher’s early exit after just 142 games puts him alongside the ranks of other notable players like Markelle Fultz, who was traded after only 33 games with Philadelphia, and Pervis Ellison, who spent just a year in Sacramento before moving on.
However, unlike Fultz and Ellison, Lizacher hasn’t encountered ongoing health issues. Atlanta simply decided to change course after two seasons.
This move fits into a broader narrative. Lizacher was part of what many viewed as a disappointing 2024 draft class, named alongside players like Alex Sarr and Cody Williams. At that time, there were suggestions that Lizacher wasn’t even the clear-cut top choice.
This year’s selections also reflect on notable picks like Victor Wembanyama from the previous year and Cooper Flagg from the year ahead.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Lizacher initially joined the league as a tall, versatile wing player, a role enhanced by his shooting skills. He averaged 12.6 points during his rookie year but saw that figure drop to 9.6 in his second season.
