Pistons Draft Crush - Zaccharie Risacher?

What would the Detroit Pistons be getting in the wing out of France at No. 5 overall?

6’9 Wing 

19 Years Old (Turns 20 NEXT April)

From France, Currently Playing for JL Bourg

10.6 PPG - 3.6 RPG - 1.0 APG - 0.9 SPG - 0.5 BPG - 1.5 TOPG (22.7 MPG - 58 GP in ALL Leagues)

46% on 8.0 FGA - 39% on 3.5 3PA - 72% on 2.7 FTA

My Draft Position - Top 5 Pick

*These are my raw, and condensed, scouting report notes from watching multiple games throughout the season*

ARCHETYPE/POTENTIAL ROLE

Off the ball 3-and-D wing with potential to be a forward as he grows and fills out his body. Does not currently offer a ton on the ball offensively but will provide floor spacing and a nice feel for offensive rebounds, cutting and getting out in transition. Defensively, he may not be a lockdown wing defender but has potential to be a major value in an overall defensive system with some real versatility long term. May never be the No.1 scoring option that you may want at the top of a draft but is that wing archetype that NBA teams covet and need on their roster. 

OFFENSE

• Off Ball Wing who can knock down shots and attack closeouts

  • C&S 3PA looks REALLY good, fluid and smooth

    • Off the dribble was a little more rough

  • The jump shot is still a little too mechanical but I think he can get it in and out of his hand quick enough and he seems to have good touch on it

    • Pull Up 3 in transition is NICE

    • The more I have watched the more I think the jumper “looks” good and translatable 

  • Has gotten better throughout the season

    • 30% on 2.6 3PA after 9 games

    • Then went through a major down stretch before getting back on track late

      • I seem to just take the totality of the season as opposed to the ups and downs you would expect from an 18 year old (for most of the season) in a pro league

  • I think he is better with his movement off the ball in terms of relocation and even uses a pindown

• Cuts off the ball and attacks OREBs

  • I think he can be impactful as a cutter AND as a rebounder (both ends)

  • Had a beautiful cut from the weakside when teammate was getting doubled in the post

    • Had another nice off the ball cut in the 2nd quarter for a bucket

• Off the Bounce has some room to grow

  • Had a CRAZY finish over 7’3 Fall (Not Tacko)

  • Still figuring out some of the HC offense stuff BUT he is moving very smooth and aggressive

    • Not overly involved in the HC offense in the first half (what happens when the role is more and what would that look like for him?)

      • Another game late in the year where he just isn’t getting touches and I wonder if there is some frustration with that

      • Could be causing him to force/rush/etc. when he does get a touch and that’s why the efficiency has had a bad stretch

        • Gets back to back touches and hits a floater finish and reverse and-one

    • Good cuts, attacking the OREB

  • In the 2nd half he has a drive where he tries to play through contact and is willing to do so but just doesn’t have the body to do so yet (adding strength will be important but is very young)

    • The off the dribble game is not even close to realized but there have been enough “flashes” to project it long term

• I think he can get out in transition and make an impact

  • Immediately gets out in transition

    • Has a nice grab-and-go as well

    • He doesn’t have “creation” but had some nice passing

• He “plays the game the right way”

  • I know that this somewhat “coach speak” but you just watch him play and he keeps the flow of the offense and moves to the right spot and makes the correct passes

DEFENSE

• Rangy and athletic that plays hard and is very impactful off the ball

  • Has multiple just hustle plays to go along with anticipation and awareness

• I like his screen navigation for someone his size (the ball screen navigation specifically stood out to me)

  • The ball screen defense is interesting

    • I feel like he is trying to do the right things with getting his foot over the screen and turn that angle but just don’t feel like he is able to do it….YET

• I think this kid truly has a chance to be a good defender

  • He has seemed a little late chasing Ajinca off screens at times, this is probably the biggest knock defensively, just a little late recognizing AT TIMES

  • I think he has real potential as a weak side rim protector

    • Had a really nice weak side block on a rotation

      • Had another block on a drive and was able to make block with left hand

• He is young and kind of skinny BUT he is willing to mix it up and be physical in the lane

• His off the ball defense has looked REALLY, REALLY good to start the game

  • Gets a box out, rotation, active, engaged

  • Defensive processing speed looks SOOOO much faster (compared to my foundational scout before the season)

  • Doing the strong side stunt and recover stuff I love

  • Even though he isn’t coming up with them he is getting involved in the DREB

  • THIS OFF BALL DEFENSE WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT COMPARED TO EARLY IN THE YEAR

• Can be impactful on the boards on this end as well

  • Even if he doesn’t actually grab the rebound, he gets a hand on it to keep away from the offensive player (this is value and impact)

Interesting note I wanted to include from my Scout BEFORE the season

• To me he is the ULTIMATE “if things really click and grow he could be a HIGH riser”

  • He is the first prospect where I am legitimately thinking to myself “he looks young and talented but it hasn’t all translated just yet”

FOR THE PISTONS

As Risacher has struggled to make shots over the past month and seen his 3P% dip, his position on NBA Draft Big Boards have followed suit. More and more you will see him closer to No. 10 in a Mock Draft than No. 1. I believe the Pistons should hope this is EXACTLY the type of stretch that makes him available to them at No. 5. When he was shooting mid 40% from 3 - in a professional league as an 18-year-old - I was able to justify him being the No. 2 prospect on my board AND taking him over Alex Sarr for specific teams like the Pistons. No, 39% on 3.5 attempts per game is not something to scoff at but with this archetype of player - and with the other limitations surrounding his offensive game (specifically, off the dribble) - there are fair concerns with such an elongated stretch of below average shooting that we have seen recently. With that said, he just turned 19 and has played 58 games in a professional league. After watching ALL of those attempts, and seeing how many misses were simply short, I wonder if he is just wearing down a little bit (which should be expected) and he has gotten things back on track over the past handful of games (6/12 in the last 4 GP). Combine this with great positional size and the defensive value and I am not dropping this kid down my board as much as others and still have him as my No. 3 prospect overall. I LOVE his fit with the Detroit Pistons and they should be sprinting to the podium if he is still available when they are on the clock as he would still be my No. 2 player on a Pistons specific big board.