One of the biggest question marks surrounding the Charlotte Hornets entering the regular season was Tidjane Salaun. One game in, and it's looking like the second-year forward has a pathway to becoming a serviceable role player. All he has to do is focus on being an energy guy off the bench.
The Hornets had an impressive season opener, putting on an offensive clinic against the Brooklyn Nets. For a while in the first half, the Nets were able to keep up with the home squad's torrid scoring. However, Salaun helped create some separation in the scoreboard, thanks to his defense and hustle.
At one point in the second quarter, he led all players in plus/minus and even sank a 3-pointer to the home crowd's delight. He finished the third quarter with just five points and, surprisingly, no rebounds or defensive counting stats, although he did secure four rebounds and add five more points in garbage time. Still, he was able to make his mark in the contest.
Tidjane Salaun can avoid the bust tag
Earlier this month, Zach Lowe and Bill Simmons observed that Salaun did "not look great" and found themselves unable to defend Charlotte's decision to use its sixth draft pick on him last year. The hoops pundits aren't alone in feeling that way, as the Frenchman has done little to assuage the fears that he will end up a draft bust.
The good news is that he can shed that label by becoming a solid defender and rebounder. Think of Dennis Rodman or Ben Wallace. Of course, it's unfair to expect him to reach those levels of the all-time greats. However, there's a clear blueprint for his development.
Does that mean Salaun has to forget being at least respectable on offense? Not necessarily. The ideal role for him is still being a 3-and-D guy and a frontcourt depth piece for the Hornets. But while he has shown potential in being a force on defense, that has yet to be the case on offense.
The preseason was proof that Salaun has a long way to go before he becomes a threat as a scorer, as he shot just 28.6 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from the 3-point area. As a positive note, he did look like one of the Hornets' best defenders on some possessions.
If Salaun manages to resist the urge to force things on offense, drastically improve his versatility on defense, and build on the rebounding potential he displayed during his rookie year, he can vindicate himself and the Hornets for their choice to select him early and forego their chance to bring in more NBA-ready prospects in the 2024 draft.