What the Path to the Hornets' Rotation Could Look Like for Tidjane Salaün

A low bar is set for the Charlotte Hornets' No. 6 overall pick.

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Hornets swung for the fences when they took Tidjane Salaün with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He's a prospect that not many knew about, but he has the skillset and potential to develop into something pretty special down the line.

Why did they take Salaün instead of say, an experienced player like Dalton Knecht?

Upside. Knecht should be able to come right in and make an impact right away for the Los Angeles Lakers, but at some point, Salaün should not only catch up to Knecht but surpass him. The Hornets are playing the long game and in a draft that was widely considered to be one of the weakest in recent memory, it's worth taking a shot on the youngest player who has the most upside.

“He’s the guy who we had organizational alignment and conviction in, from the very beginning. We want guys who give effort night in, night out. Guys who compete," Hornets VP of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson said. “I never want to sit here and limit a player. Ultimately, you don’t know in terms of how good they can be. I know he’s going to maximize himself because he works, he’s going to put the time in the weight room, on the court. We’re very fortunate to have Charles and his staff who take pride in player development, so I just think the marriage between Tidjane and our staff will be beautiful.”

With the depth the Hornets have built over the last several months, Salaün enters a situation where he doesn't necessarily need to be in the rotation right away, and probably shouldn't. Allowing him to spend time with G League affiliate Greensboro will do wonders for his growth, especially when making the transition from European basketball to the rules that are in place here.

Peterson was hesitant to reveal the plan for Salaün in terms of how much time he'll spend in Greensboro versus Charlotte, but it could be a very similar route to the rotation that Mark Williams took but perhaps a little longer. Williams saw action here and there early on in his rookie season before becoming a staple in Charlotte's frontcourt toward the end of the year. Salaün could see more action toward the end of his rookie campaign in Charlotte, but still in a very limited role.

Expecting him to log serious minutes in year one is a big ask and one that the Hornets probably aren't comfortable with. They have the ability to slowly bring him along and use this first year kind of as a redshirt year. Give him a lot of minutes with the Swarm while adjusting to the game and filling out his frame in the weight room. By the All-Star break in his second year is when he should start to become more of a fixture for the Hornets. If it happens sooner, even better.

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