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Should Tidjane Salaün be a part of the Hornets' rotation this season?

Will the 19-year-old be a piece of the Hornets rotation?

Austin Leake

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Tidjane Salaün was drafted as a project player in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Hornets, but in just three preseason games thus far, I can confidently say that he’s a player that should be in the rotation.

Now, if you had asked me this a couple of weeks ago, I and many others would have assumed he would spend the majority of his rookie campaign in Greensboro with the Swarm. However, he seems to be putting all of those thoughts to rest with his impressive play.

Biggest Surprise

One of the biggest surprises from Salaün’s game so far has undoubtedly been his ability to shoot from beyond the arc. The 19-year-old struggled with his outside shot in the Hornets summer league back in July, as he went without a three-point make throughout those games.

Coincidentally, in his first game with the Hornets in preseason action, he made three three-pointers and totaled 11 points. Then, in his second game, he recorded four made three-pointers to go with 15 total points and most recently three triples vs. Memphis.

It's rare to find a forward that's 6'9" and can shoot the ball as well as Salaün has this early into his career. In three preseason games, he has accumulated 10 three-pointers, which is tied for most in the NBA preseason thus far ironically with Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball.

It's not only the amount of three-point shots that the rookie has hit, but it's been the efficiency as he's shooting a good ball of above 45% from three in the preseason. The question is will that continue? I don't see why it wouldn't because his shot mechanics are pure.

His Fit in Rotation?

Salaün is an ideal fit with the Hornets team that's currently constructed. He can play either the small forward or the power forward position for the Hornets and it seems that Lee has had him going back and forth between those positions. What once looked like a rotation that had no room for Salaün, now seems to be opened up. With injuries to Cody Martin and Grant Williams, it provided an opportunity for him to show his skillset, which could've been a blessing in disguise.

Now, certainly, there are kinks that Salaün has to work on to effectively be a key part of this Hornets team, but I don't think anyone could've predicted he'd be this far ahead this early into his career. He could provide the Hornets with more shooting on the offensive end and size on the defensive end.

Salaün drew two charges in the game on Thursday night versus Memphis, which is a great sign of his willingness to compete. With Micic looking rough, the emergence of Tre Mann, and Cody Martin coming back soon, this is what I believe the rotation should look like when everyone is healthy.

Point Guard

Shooting Guard

Small Forward

Power Forward

Center

LaMelo Ball

Josh Green

Brandon Miller

Miles Bridges

Mark Williams

Tre Mann

Cody Martin

Tidjane Salaun

Grant Williams

Nick Richards

Confidence

You can't help but fall in love with Tidjane Salaün's confidence at just 19 years of age. On Thursday night, he put that on display with his first three-point attempt from the hash mark, which he drilled in the first quarter.

He proceeded to miss on his next three attempts from deep, but that didn't stop him from shooting the ball as he ended the night with 13 points.

Most young players would have shied away from shooting after a rough shooting start, but the 19-year-old rookie showed everyone Thursday night that he doesn't shy away from the big moments. It reminded me a lot of when LaMelo Ball was a rookie and the confidence that he had. If Salaün can continue to play with this type of confidence it could be scary for any opponent.

Highlights

Here's a look at the 19-year-old's highlights from the NBA preseason thus far.

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Austin Leake
AUSTIN LEAKE

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