The Charlotte Hornets selected Tidjane Salaun with the sixth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Although fans might not know much about him, it seems like he could be a slam dunk of a pick. He was the youngest player in the draft, so he's pretty raw in terms of skillset. At 18 years old, he'll have to put on some size to bang with other bigs in the league if he's going to be playing at the forward spots.
Charlotte Hornets 2024 NBA Draft Grade
Grade: B
Salaun's game appears to be a fit with how the modern game is played for a 6'9 wing player or power forward. Blocking shots, hitting an open three, and being able to make the right reads to find the open man are what good role players are able to do in the NBA.
Doing those things at a consistently high level is what makes great players to All-Stars. With the potential to be a defensive force on this Hornets team, this selection fits right in with the mold of the rest of the young group that the Hornets currently have.
However, as mentioned, Tidjane Salaun is only 18 years old. So patience is the key word for how his game develops. But figuring out how he develops will be the hard part. Is he a three or a four? Will he be able to put the ball on the floor and score on his own? Will he only be a raw defender? Hopefully he is able to string his game together nicely to live up to his draft hype.
Under a new coaching staff with Charles Lee leading the way, player development is the focus and he'll get his first project player right away.
How does Tidjane Salaun impact LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller?
The roster is still malleable at this point in the offseason. So as of right now, it looks like Tidjane Salaun could be a rotational piece who would be playing at the four and possibly the five in spurts. How effectively teams are able to space the floor is a staple in today's game. It's possible Salaun can step in and do that right away, providing more spacing for both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller to operate in the open floor.
On the defensive end, if someone does get beat and funneled into the rookie, he can send a shot flying into the stands. The two-way potential is there and is interesting.
Building a suitable young core that could grow together is likely any general managers dream goal for a young team. Jeff Peterson, the Hornets' GM, feels good about his pick and the future of his guys.
“I think with LaMelo and Brandon, they're both young as well,” Peterson said. “It's gonna be exciting to see them grow together. They all play different positions, but a couple things that they have in common though is to want to be great, work, and put the time in. I'm really encouraged to see what those three can do over the course of their careers here in Charlotte.”
The optimism is there for the Hornets' new GM, so now it's time to wait and see how things go as time progresses. With plenty of offseason left to go though, let's see what other tricks he has up his sleeve.
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