Tidjane Salaun has not been the most popular player on the Charlotte Hornets roster since he was selected sixth overall in the 2024 NBA Draft. Considering he was chosen with such a high pick, many people expected him to be a star-level talent.
Unfortunately for the Hornets and their fans, Salaun might not pan out as the star player they were expecting. However, he is working hard to become a productive contributor to Charles Lee's system with the Hornets.
Salaun is making significant strides in his development
Considering Salaun is only in his second NBA season, he has a lot of room to grow. He is only 20, so his development is still pending. Most players' development is not linear, so these recent performances might be a good sign for the Hornets moving forward.
Coach Lee would love to see Salaun further improve because he is a big believer in the 20-year-old Frenchman. After an underwhelming rookie year, Salaun is playing fewer minutes this season, but he has been more efficient.
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The 20-year-old is averaging 7.1 points on 51.1% from the field and 45.7% from three. Salaun has accepted his role, and he is doing his best to be as productive as possible. Coach Lee is pleased to see this because he sees solid potential with Salaun.
"He's totally embraced his role. He just realizes how much he can impact the game on both ends of the floor without just scoring, and that's what we're seeing. We're seeing more of a well-rounded game from him, where he's rebounding defensively and guarding multiple different guys," Lee said after winning on Friday.
"Offensively, that play where he had an opportunity to shoot an off-the-dribble step-back three, which he has in the past, and to make the one-more pass was very encouraging to see. It just shows how much he's about team, trying to compete, and do everything he can to impact winning."
Against the Orlando Magic, Salaun had a superb game, posting 14 points on 6-7 shooting from the field while grabbing nine rebounds. It was an impressive performance that could lead to some consistency in the long run.
As long as Salaun is playing this way, one can expect that the Hornets will have a reliable wing moving forward. It will be a lengthy journey, but Salaun is only 20, so he has plenty of time to develop.
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