1 Question For Each Charlotte Hornets Rookie

Tidjane Salaun

Question: Can Salaun Show Consistent Improvement In His Strength Throughout The Season?

The Hornets drafted Tidjane Salaun with the 6th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. As a player, Salaun‘s talents lie in his inherent athleticism, height, and ability to shoot from a distance. He has the size and length to be an impactful defender in the future. He can score on all three levels, has major upside as a shooter, and has shown flashes of creating his own shot. Furthermore, he is an excellent cutter and can serve as a lob threat. While Salaun didn’t have the greatest outing at Summer League, he had moments where his potential shined. In particular, Salaun had a notable double-double performance against the Denver Nuggets where he scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Salaun possesses great upside as a rookie, however, he still needs to develop to reach his potential. His body and strength in particular need to improve to reach the next level. So, the biggest question for Salaun is whether or not he can show improvement in his strength throughout the season. Despite his height and length, Salaun can struggle on both sides of the ball because of his lack of strength. On offense, his lack of strength can cause Salaun difficulty finishing through contact. On defense, bigger and stronger players can overpower him in the post. Due to these deficiencies on both offense and defense, Salaun must improve his strength. If he can show consistent improvement, it will take his game to the next level and allow him to play a more dynamic game.

KJ Simpson

Question: Can Simpson Prove That He Won’t Be A Defensive Liability Despite His Size?

The Hornets drafted KJ Simpson with the 42nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He would later sign a two-way contract with the Hornets after the draft. Simpson is an offensively-minded guard who can score on all three levels, be an effective playmaker, and can create his own shot. Furthermore, Simpson plays the game with a lot of effort and can rebound the ball well despite his size. Simpson didn’t participate in Summer League due to injury, but he certainly has an immense amount of skill and talent.

Despite his offensive capabilities, Simpson’s defense simply isn’t on the same skill level. Part of the reason why is that Simpson is only six feet tall. He will inherently have a limit on how good he can be on defense. Thus, the question for Simpson to answer is whether or not he can prove that he wouldn’t be a defensive liability. Simpson does play defense with high effort, which goes a long way in proving he won’t be a liability. If Simpson can prove that he won’t be a liability, there will be a future for him in the league. It won’t be easy for Simpson, but he has shown that he can and is willing to improve his game.