{"id":2054012,"date":"2026-07-21T14:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2054012"},"modified":"2026-07-21T14:30:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:30:01","slug":"the-bounce-a-no-1-pick-gets-traded-2-years-later-plus-revisiting-the-gobert-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2054012","title":{"rendered":"The Bounce: A No. 1 pick gets traded 2 years later. Plus, revisiting the Gobert deal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Bounce Newslette<\/b>r<\/strong>\u00a0\":basketball:\"<\/span>\u00a0| This is The Athletic\u2019s<\/em> daily NBA newsletter.\u00a0Sign up here<\/a>\u00a0to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox.<\/p>\n

No, LeBron James still hasn\u2019t picked a new destination as we enter the fourth week of free agency. Yes, this feels very drawn out. But let me pose this question: What if he just isn\u2019t in love with any of the options? What if he\u2019s truly torn and doesn\u2019t know yet because none of it feels right? What if this introduction is just a reverse jinx to see if he\u2019ll finally announce today? If it happens, you can track it all here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Thunder struck<\/h3>\n

OKC sheds more money with Dort deal<\/strong><\/p>\n

We had a pretty good idea that Lu Dort was not long for Oklahoma City. Though Dort was the longest-tenured member of the team, the Thunder\u2019s second-apron salary crunch was going to be their biggest obstacle to tackle this offseason. They managed to add rookies Aday Mara (12th pick) and Bennett Stirtz (16th pick) in the draft. But the Thunder were also desperately trying to save money and dump salaries to get under the second apron this summer.<\/p>\n

Just as a reminder, <\/strong>here\u2019s how the first and second aprons restrict team roster construction<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The Thunder sent Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks for two second-round picks earlier this summer. They also sent Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two more second-round picks. They still needed to jettison the 27-year-old Dort (who\u2019d been with OKC since July 6, 2019) and the $17.7 million he makes this coming season without taking back salary to get out of the second apron.<\/p>\n

Once again, the Thunder looked to the Hawks for financial help and second-round picks. They agreed to send Dort to Atlanta in a three-team deal involving the Dallas Mavericks<\/a>. Dallas received 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher. The Hawks also got Ryan Nembhard from the Mavericks, and the Thunder took three second-round picks from Atlanta.<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s Wiggins, Joe and Dort gone from the Thunder, with seven second-round picks coming back.<\/strong> In payroll and luxury tax penalties, OKC saved hundreds of millions of dollars. It\u2019s now out of the second apron and can get under the first apron before the February trade deadline. And the Thunder hope they still have the depth to win the Western Conference back from the San Antonio Spurs.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d imagine Alex Caruso, Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Nikola Topi\u0107 and Stirtz will all step up in the absence of Dort, Wiggins and Joe. Of course, the Thunder have Wallace\u2019s rookie extension to deal with before the start of the 2026-27 season. Otherwise, he enters restricted free agency next summer. And he\u2019ll be massively expensive. The Thunder already have $194 million wrapped up in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and Caruso the following season. We might see even more cost-cutting from OKC in the near future.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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As for Atlanta, what an incredible acquisition. Having Dort, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will create a stifling perimeter defense. The Hawks still need a proper big man with good size (no offense to Onyeka Okongwu, who is very good). Nembhard could easily be one of the best backup point guards in the league pretty soon, too. It\u2019s why I gave Atlanta an A for this deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Dallas will roll the dice on Risacher after just two years in the NBA. He played 886 minutes in his 36 games last season (24.6 per game) before a bone contusion knocked him out of games for about three weeks. Once he was back, the Hawks had turned things around, Trae Young was long gone, and Quin Snyder didn\u2019t seem to trust Risacher. He played in 616 minutes in his final 31 games that season and only played in 22 minutes in three playoff games. Sixteen of those minutes were in the embarrassing 51-point blowout Game 6 loss against the Knicks.<\/p>\n

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The 21-year-old Risacher is a lanky, 6-foot-8 wing who can do a little bit of everything and is a league-average 3-point shooter (36 percent). Masai Ujiri loves wings with this build. We\u2019ll see if putting him next to Cooper Flagg can help get his career on track. Funny enough, the Hawks and Mavs discussed an Anthony Davis trade before this year\u2019s deadline, but including Risacher was a deal-breaker. You know how Dallas acquired Risacher? With part of the trade exception generated from the AD deal to Washington.<\/p>\n

More on the Risacher trade after some quick links \u2026<\/p>\n

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The last 24<\/h3>\n

\ud83e\udd14 Explain yourself. <\/strong>John Hollinger examines teams like the Raptors, Bucks and Lakers that had NBA folks at summer league asking, \u201c<\/strong>What are they doing<\/strong><\/a>?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd1d L.A. signing. <\/strong>The Lakers have brought in some more defense. Matisse Thybulle joins on a one-year deal<\/strong><\/a>. <\/strong>Our Dan Woike breaks down everything he\u2019s hearing about the Lakers this offseason, including their pursuit of Jonathan Kuminga<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\ud83d\ude21 Not close. <\/strong>Blazers owner Tom Dundon and the city of Portland are far apart on an arena deal. Is he trying to tank this deal<\/strong><\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc0 Versatility plays.<\/strong> Grizzlies rookie Cameron Boozer studied the Knicks\u2019 championship run. He thinks it contains lessons for how he can impact the league<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stream the NBA on Fubo (<\/em>try it for free!<\/a>)<\/em>\u00a0and catch out-of-market games on\u00a0<\/em>League Pass<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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No. 1 stunna<\/h3>\n

Risacher isn\u2019t the fastest top pick to be traded<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was curious to learn who the No. 1 picks were that spent the least amount of time with the teams they entered the league with over the last 60 years (territorial draft rights were eliminated in 1966). While Risacher\u2019s time with the Hawks was short, it wasn\u2019t close to the quickness with which six other players were gone.<\/p>\n

I even made a chart for it!<\/p>\n

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