The Dallas Mavericks have exercised Zaccharie Risacher’s fourth-year rookie contract option worth $17.4 million, ensuring the former No. 1 overall pick will not become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Marc Stein reported the decision on Wednesday, October 28.
The option locks Risacher into Dallas through the 2027-28 season, giving the Mavericks more time to evaluate the 21-year-old forward after acquiring him from the Atlanta Hawks.
Stein noted that the option was expected to be exercised despite its substantial cost, citing the regard that both Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz have for Risacher.
The leaguewide deadline for exercising these options was moved to Monday because October 31 falls on a Saturday, according to Stein.
Risacher joined the NBA as the first overall pick in the 2024 draft after playing professionally in France. He appeared in 75 games for Atlanta during his rookie season, averaging 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game while shooting 35.5% from three-point range.
His production dipped in his second season. Risacher averaged 9.6 points and 3.8 rebounds across 67 games in 2025-26, although his three-point percentage improved to 36.8%.
Through five games with Dallas in 2026-27, Risacher is averaging 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks in 29.8 minutes. He is shooting 37.8% from the field and 25.0% from beyond the arc.
