Tidjane Salaün struggles mightily in Greensboro Swarm debut

The Hornets rookie has a rough game in his G-League debut.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's been a very interesting rookie season for Charlotte Hornets rookie Tidjane Salaün, who has spent the majority of the season with the Charlotte Hornets. Salaün was initially likely to play in more of the Swarm's games, but due to an abundance of injuries, he was required to play minutes in Charlotte.

Salaün appeared in 34 games for the Hornets and averaged 4.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, while shooting low percentages of 31.8% from the field and 28.0% from three. The 19-year-old is known for being able to shoot the ball but just hasn't found the mark from range in his rookie campaign.

The Hornets sending him down to the G-League was a really smart move as it could be something that potentially boosts his confidence.

In his debut with the Swarm, Salaün struggled to find the mark once again as he finished the game with 10 points on 3-12 shooting and 2-9 from three.

However, there were still some positives to take away as he had a positive impact in other ways, as he recorded nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals in 36 minutes.

One thing I thought might change in the G-League was taking fewer three-pointers, but that certainly wasn't the case in his first game as nine of the 12 shots he attempted were from range. However, it was just his first game in Greensboro and it's a long process.

There's no question that when the Hornets drafted Salaün, they knew it would be a long-term project, but sometimes it can be a risk to wait for someone to develop. The Hornets took the chance on him because they saw something in him that they loved, and they believed that he'd eventually become a long-term, impactful player for the franchise.

Fans should have trust in the Hornets' new management with the decision they made and what they saw in the pre-draft process to draft the 19-year-old. It's too early to give up on Salaün. After all, everyone knew that he wasn't going to have much of an impact in his rookie year.

I would argue that his preseason play may have caused some people to think he was more ready than he actually was, but that's what happens in most cases, right? It's still very early in his career, and the Hornets have handled this as well as possible, which means the only right thing to do is to be patient and let him develop, learn the game, and hope for the best.

Full Highlights

6th pick in the draft - Tidjane Salaün’s first G league assignment.
All shots attempts / field goals
3/12 FG , 2/9 3FG , 1/1 FT

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— 🛸 (@Zolllaa) January 21, 2025

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