The Charlotte Hornets took a swing at a long, talented French froward named Tidjane Salaun with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Salaun is 19 years old with designs on becoming one of the best Eastern Conference forwards by the time his career is over in North Carolina with new Hornets coach Charles Lee's team.
Salaun participated in this year's NBA Summer League and showed lots of promise amid a competitive atmosphere fostered by the high profile participation of the Lakers' Bronny James, Donovan Clingan and several other exciting young players.
Unfortunately for Hornets fans, the French forward showed he still has a long way to go before becoming one of the better players in the 2024 Draft class. Salaun's name can be found next to a surprising but familiar one on the scoring charts: Bronny James.
Bronny James averaged 8.8 points per game in the Summer League compared to 9 per game for Salaun.
Salaun ranked way down the page among all Summer League participants in scoring.
Salaun has several concerns heading into his first ever NBA season. Hornets fans should prepare to be patient with the teenage forward prospect, because his development is going to take plenty of time.
Tidjane Salaun's shooting is his biggest concern
Most players who are as green as Salaun take a while to develop upon their entry into the National Basketball Association.
Judging by the Summer League play of Salaun, it appears as though he could be headed for a similar trajectory with Coach Charles Lee's Charlotte Hornets. Salaun shot just 42.3% from the field in NBA Summer League play, a percentage that is solid but must be improved considering his size and position.
From there, things got worse.
Salaun was woefully inefficient from beyond the three-point arc, shooting 10% (0.3 for 3.3) over the course of Summer League action. He shot 1.3 for 2.7 per game on average from the free-throw line, which puts him at just over 48%.
These are numbers befitting of an at-times offensively challenged defensive stopper like Ben Wallace. Salaun's defense is obviously not on Wallace's level. The hope is that his shooting percentages don't end up on Wallace's level, either.
The Hornets draft pick did show promise on the boards and as a defender. He averaged seven rebounds per game and two blocks per game during Summer League, showing his versatility and stout demeanor in the paint. At 207 pounds, he's stronger, thicker and more muscular than similar players who have entered the league as teenagers, especially from his home country.
Now, it's up to Salaun to maximize his potential by getting in the gym every day and working on the different minutiae of shooting that Coach Lee and the Hornets can help improve.
Hornets' 2024 outlook, plus how Salaun fits
Salaun is currently listed far down on the depth chart for the 2024-2025 Hornets. He brings different attributes to the table than most of the Hornets' roster, which will become key in cracking the team's starting lineup within the next two or three years.
At this point in time, there is no way to sugar coat it. If the Hornets rookie doesn't improve his shooting, he won't see the floor very often for Coach Lee's team. Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and the Hornets have promise as a young and athletic team, but Salaun isn't quite seasoned enough to run with the big dogs just yet.
He will need to improve several aspects of his game first before joining Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges as dependable, starting caliber players in Charlotte.
Once he does, Salaun could become a defensive ace. Until then, the Hornets will likely play him spot minutes while putting their faith in developing him day-by-day in the practice gym.
Follow Us
Subscribe