Hornets Send Tidjane Salaün to G League: What It Really Means For Former 1st Round Pick
The Charlotte Hornets have officially sent their 2024 sixth overall draft pick, Tidjane Salaun, down to the Greensboro Swarm for what feels like the umpteenth time. And honestly? It’s probably exactly where he belongs right now.
Let’s not sugarcoat this situation. When you’re drafted sixth overall in the NBA, there’s an expectation that you’ll at least look like you belong on an NBA court within your first year or two. Salaun? He’s making that expectation look like a pipe dream.
The Numbers Don’t Lie About Salaun’s Struggles
Through seven games this season, the 6’9″ French forward is putting up a whopping 3.1 points per game on 36.8% shooting from the field. For context, that’s the kind of production you’d expect from your 12th man, not someone who was supposed to be a cornerstone piece for the franchise’s future.
His three-point shooting? A stellar 33.3%. And before you think “hey, that’s not terrible,” remember this is a guy who was drafted largely based on his potential as a floor-spacer. If you can’t stretch the floor consistently, what exactly are you bringing to the table at the NBA level?
The most telling statistic might be his minutes per game: just 11.9. That’s down from last season, which should tell you everything you need to know about his trajectory in head coach Charles Lee’s eyes.
Pat Connaughton Is Eating His Minutes
Perhaps the most damning indictment of Salaun’s current situation is that veteran Pat Connaughton is stealing his playing time. Connaughton, who the Hornets acquired from Milwaukee this summer, wasn’t even supposed to make the team initially. President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson basically told him to pack his bags.
Yet here we are, with Connaughton getting meaningful minutes in games while Salaun rides the bench or gets shipped to Greensboro. In Sunday’s victory over Utah, Connaughton played 14 minutes and actually contributed, while Salaun didn’t see any second-half action despite the team holding a 30-point lead.
That’s not a development issue anymore – that’s a trust issue.
The G-League Track Record Isn’t Promising
This marks Salaun’s third assignment to the Swarm, and history suggests this stint won’t magically fix his problems. In his five previous G-League games, he averaged 11.8 points and 7.6 rebounds on inefficient shooting splits.
More concerning is what happened after his last G-League assignment in January. Upon returning to Charlotte, Salaun managed just 6.1 points on a brutal 25.8% shooting from the field over the next ten games. If anything, his G-League experiences have seemed to make him less confident, not more.
Was This Pick Always Destined to Fail?
Looking back at the 2024 draft, this pick was a reach. There were players like Donovan Clingan, Matas Buzelis, Zach Edey, Kel’el Ware, and Jared McCain were all still available. Each of those players has shown more NBA readiness than Salaun, even in limited opportunities.
The pick felt like a reach at the time, and it’s looking more like a complete whiff with each passing game. In a draft class that wasn’t exactly loaded with talent, Salaun still manages to rank 23rd in total points among his peers. That’s not development – that’s just not being good enough.
The Bottom Line on Salaun’s Development
Sometimes in the NBA, players just don’t pan out. It happens to every franchise, and it looks like it’s happening to the Hornets with Salaun. The combination of poor shooting, questionable defense, and an apparent lack of NBA-level instincts is a recipe for irrelevance. Maybe a longer stint in Greensboro will help him find his confidence and develop the skills he needs to contribute at the NBA level.
