Why the Hornets Drafted Tidjane Salaün

Matt Alquiza | Jun 26, 2024

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Tidjane Salaun poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In a shocking turn of events, the Charlotte Hornets drafted Tidjane Salaün, a French prospect from Cholet Basket of the LNB Pro A. Salaün was the third French player drafted in 2024, and the Hornets must be enamored with his tantalizing upside as a two-way option.

Salaün will come into Charlotte and do all of the dirty work on offense. He has one of the highest motors in the class, and it shows when he plays offense. He has a long way to go when it comes to creating offense for himself and teammates when he has the ball, but it won't take long for him to make an impact as an ancillary piece to Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball.

The most important thing Salaün will bring to Charlotte is elite shooting potential. He has consistent shooting form, even though his percentages in the French pro league don't look great. In France, most of his possessions ended one of three ways. Spotting up to shoot threes, catching passes and finishing as an off-ball cutter, or putting back offensive rebounds. Salaün's motor really shows up on the offensive glass as he is relentless when it comes to grabbing boards.

On defense, the Frenchman oozes potential. He stands at 6'9" with a 7'1" wingspan, but he moves like a guard. Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer describes his defensive potential like this: "(Salaün is a) Locked-in defender who is a nuisance off the ball, digging in to help on drivers and using his long arms to poke at the ball. He’s always contesting shots at the rim, playing with his arms up in the passing lanes, and fighting through screens. With his length, quickness, and mindset, he has the traits to be a versatile defender who can switch across most perimeter positions."

Much like his offense, Salaün is more polished as an off-ball defender as things stand. He boasts impactful potential as a rim-protector, and his wingspan is built to jump passing lanes and start fast breaks. His eraser defensive potential will pair well with Mark Williams on the interior and set up LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller for fireworks on the fastbreak.

Charles Lee coached the Boston Celtics who boasted a deep rotation of players who needed to be guarded on every inch of the offensive end of the floor. Salaün should be that. His shooting potential and rim-finishing ability should make him a must-cover as he continues to develop a game that matches his frame.

Salaün is incredibly young. He doesn't turn 19 until July, so he boasts long-term potential to grow up next to Charlotte's young core of Ball, Miller, and Williams. The four of them fit together perfectly on the court. Ball and Miller will initiate offense as primary ball handlers and creators, while Salaün provides floor spacing and play finishing and Williams patrols the paint. If theose four stay healthy and develop in 2024-25, Charlotte has a core four that could grow into an Eastern Conference power in the back half of the 2020s.